Desert Rose
by Lady Calliope
Summary: [on hold] [AU] Kenshin is a desert marauder, Sanosuke's an emperor, and evil is afoot in their kingdom of Kahaktri. Betrayal, love, friendship, gypsies, curses, murder, and a pinch of sand and swords. KK, AM, SM.
1. So Long Ago

Warning: you have now crossed over into the zone of my imagination, where anything and everything is possible. As a forewarning, this is an AU (alternate universe) _Rurouni Kenshin_ fic. That might explain some of the odd things you're about to encounter (like last names that make no sense…) ^_^ 

I wish I owned Kenshin, but reality likes to disappoint people like me all too often. As always, standard disclaimers apply. 

I would like to give a bit of thanks to Sting, Weiß Kreuz, ramen, windy afternoons, my best friend Kit, and, of course, my muse. Desert Rose 

By Lady Calliope

**Chapter 1: **So Long Ago

The fourteen year-old's eyes widened in naïve curiosity as her wandering gaze fell upon an object she had never seen before in her grandfather's study. It was a gold chain necklace whose only adornment was a single diamond teardrop. Nothing ornate, but still there was something in its aura…

Light in weight as well as beautiful, it seemed to shine with a luster all its own as she fastened the piece of jewelry around her neck. While she was busily admiring her new borrowed accessory in the full-length mirror, she did not sense nor hear the quiet footfalls approaching her from behind.      

"Ayame…"

She jumped what seemed, to her, a foot at the gentle sound. But once she had managed to mollify her racing heart rate, she recognized the voice. Cringing slightly as she turned to face it, she prepared herself for the censorious lecture that was undoubtedly to follow her little treasure hunt. 

"Ayame, what have I told you about rummaging around in my study?" the man reprimanded softly, lightly placing a hand on her shoulder. 

Afraid of earning a disapproving look, she racked her memory for the conversations she and her grandfather had had about this particular subject before. Hesitantly, she replied, "Um…don't rummage without you…?"

The old man's face broke out into a wide smile. "That's my girl. Now tell me, how did you come across that necklace you're wearing, Ayame-chan?" 

"I found it lying on your desk, Grandpa. Really! I didn't go through your desk drawers or anything like that this time!" she earnestly explained. Sometimes it was very difficult to discern whether or not Grandpa Yahiko would become angry at her behavior or not…

There was a pause as Yahiko cleared away the many memories that clouded his mind as he really saw the diamond embellishment adorning his granddaughter's slim neck for the first time. "Good work, child," he exalted in a slightly louder voice, " I was looking at that earlier today."

Silence once again enveloped the two as he once again retreated to the shores of his memory while the teenager scrutinized the piece of jewelry. As the warm rays of the late afternoon sun peeked through the blinds and caught the diamond in their wake, the teardrop seemed to be…crying. Whether it was in joy or sorrow was unknown to her. 

"Grandpa," Ayame asked quietly after a few moments had passed, "is there a story or something behind this necklace? It just doesn't seem…ordinary." 

Myoujin Yahiko chuckled in an almost nostalgic way. "That it isn't, my dear. That it isn't…" he sighed, his words barely above a whisper. "Come. I have a great story surrounding that necklace, but I think this would be a story best suited for the fireside. Desert nights can be quite bone-chilling, don't you think?"

And so, the two slowly made their way towards the grand living room of the desert mansion to speak of a tale of long ago.


	2. Wrath of Chronos

C&C would be immensely appreciated! Desert Rose 

By Lady Calliope

**Chapter 2**: Wrath of Chronos

The soft light cast by the fire's gentle flames danced almost playfully over the shadows of the room, yet it gave the air surrounding the pair a feeling of calm and mystery. Ayame delicately lowered herself to the eclectically colored pile of velvet cushions in front of the fireplace while her grandfather positioned himself comfortably in his favorite leather chair. Their eyes seemed to be locked on the flickering glow of the flames in the hearth. 

As if to prompt the story she was so anxiously waiting to hear, Ayame slowly undid the necklace's clasp and placed it in her grandfather's creased hands. He held the chain by the very ends and allowed the jewel to dangle in front of the blaze, the light passing through the diamond causing small rainbows to shimmer within its crystalline shield. Her eyes had become transfixed by the beauty, mystery, romance, tears, and betrayal that seemed to be locked within the clear gaze of the gemstone.

"Have you ever heard of Sumaktra, child?" Yahiko quietly asked at length, closing his eyes. He felt the weariness of his age for the first time in a great while as an image of the piece of jewelry once again played upon his mind's eye. 

As if offended by the question, her eyes just stared at him in indignation. "Yes. It was the old capitol, wasn't it? Before it was burned to the ground," she answered, trying to mask the annoyance in her voice. She was a part of what used to be the royal family and felt a slight sting at being seemingly thought of as ignorant. 

"I'm sorry, Ayame-chan, I didn't mean to asked you such a question to insult you," he quickly amended, detecting the crossness hidden in her voice and expression. "I know you're bright. It's just that…Sumaktra was the last place I saw this necklace worn by anyone until today."

"Grandpa…I…" she stammered. "I didn't mean to sound so harsh. Not many people have heard of the old city; I know I'm one of the few who has been educated as such."

For a while, the only sound that could be heard in the large open room was that of the crackling fire and the occasional soft scraping of the logs when they shifted against each other. "About the necklace, Grandpa…"

He chuckled slightly. "I promised you a story, didn't I? Well then, let's begin at the beginning. That seems to be the proper way to do these things."

*-*-*-*-*-*-

Once long ago, in the great desert of Osamta, there was a man of unprecedented courage and knowledge and leadership. During the area's greatest period of depression and civil warfare, he single-handedly managed to unite the once divided sections of the country into the mightiest kingdom the world had ever known: Kahaktri. His name would be forever remembered as the hero of his people. 

Yukishiro Hiko.

Hiko had lived out his days beautifully and with a strong focus on his people; his lovely wife, Tae, gave birth to three healthy children, one girl and two boys. Sadly, the greatest ruler of Kahaktri died only twenty years after the thriving capitol of Sumaktra had been established and become known worldwide for its brilliant people and flourishing economy. While Hiko had busied himself with the burden of creating a land that would last as long as the sun's rays, he had paid very little attention to his ailing health. Finally, only a month after his oldest son's eighteenth birthday, he died of a congenital disease that the doctors referred to as the " bloody cough".

Leaving his heir, Yukishiro Sagara Sanosuke, the task of maintaining and improving what his father had worked so hard to erect during his lifetime. And for the first five years of Sanosuke's reign, all matters of the kingdom proceeded with unparalleled success. 

Until the Hitokiris arrived.      


	3. Prelude

R&R please! C&C would be wonderful. Is this too OOC, PWP, or TWT? LOL, I hope not. (Ha, if you couldn't tell, I'm just trying to fit as many acronyms as I can into a few sentences. Did I do a good job? ^_^ )  

Desert Rose 

By Lady Calliope

**Chapter 3**: Prelude

"Your Highness!"

Sanosuke's head snapped up at the sudden interruption of his noonday meal. Food was one of his few pleasures left in life and he preferred eating without any distractions. They tainted the taste.

"Highness!" the breathless messenger boy cried out, coming to a halt at a respectful distance from the emperor. "Highness, the Hitokiris have attacked our eastern border. Again. But this time they made off with military documents of great importance!" 

Lifting his glass and gently swirling the blood red liquid inside, the sovereign slowly sipped as he pondered his country's current situation. Sighing in fatigue, he asked, "Was anyone killed in this latest raid?"

"No, Your Highness. Some were severely wounded, but none were found dead," the messenger, Soujiro, replied hastily. 

"I'll handle it then," Sanosuke rejoined definitively, leaving no room for argument. "You should go rest now. Did you travel here directly from Ansutam?"

A little stunned at his emperor's open concern for him, Soujiro quietly admitted, "Yes, Highness. I…I rode for a day to bring you the news."

"Go rest, then. Have one of the servants show you to a room. And the kitchen is yours; just tell them I sent you," he directed, his voice no longer sounding like that of a ruler, but like that of a…friend...

The boy was shocked, to say the least. Barely audible, he whispered, "Thank…thank you, Your Highness."

After the messenger had left the dining hall, Sanosuke sighed and let his eyes wander over the many intricate details of the room. High, curved, pentagonal arches framed every doorway leading into the expansive room, as well as all other doorways in the palace. Lustrous white marble served as the walls and flooring, extending out to the impressive balcony that seemed to encompass as much space as the room itself. The curtains, composed of brightly colored velvet, were drawn off to either side of the arch leading to the balcony and wafted gently in the breeze. In short, it was awe-inspiringly beautiful.

Sanosuke hated it. 

It's not that he hated the architecture or design or even the palace itself; he despised the loneliness that echoed from every wall of the cavernous structure. Even with his brother living in the palace as well, he still felt an amorphous twinge of pain that seemed to accompany the very sight of the many happy people working in the palace, as well as the city. Every time he observed or overheard two lovers speaking the complicated language of love…

_You need a woman, Sagara,_ he repeated to himself for what must have been the hundredth time that day. It was fast becoming an annoyance. 

Deciding that he should put his mind where it was needed, he turned his thoughts to the news that had interrupted his meal. So, the Hitokiris were on the move again…

A few years ago, the arrival of the now infamous band of marauders had portended a great many things: the people's fear for their safety, the military's frustration at their inadequacy, the guarded looks people kept securely in place when walking about in the markets. But there was one thing in particular that Sanosuke had not been expecting in the least. Their leader. 

A man who was referred to by his men as "Battousai," he was, without a doubt, the most baffling person the emperor had ever dealt with. He was a riddle wrapped in a mystery and packaged in an enigma. He never hesitated to attack a defenseless town, but would forbid any murder of the townspeople. He was known for the fierceness and great skill with which he commanded the sword, but never engaged in a battle that was unfair. He never drank with his men after an attack, never fraternized with the women at their camp, always paid for the supplies instead of stealing… 

In short, he was the most gentlemanly bandit leader the world had ever known.

The one thing above all else that haunted the citizens of Kahaktri was that the invincible bandit leader had no description. Obviously, he was a living, breathing human being, but so few people actually knew what he looked like that by the time they realized who the newcomer in their town was, it was far too late. His only definable attributes were his swordsmanship and the turban he was always seen wearing. The dark material hanging from the actual turban covered every part of his face except for… his eyes.

His eyes were quite possibly the most mysterious things about him: sometimes, when persons were actually near enough to discern his visible features, his eyes were said to be a vicious shade of amber. Those times were when he fought with a particularly lethal accuracy and ferocity. Other times, when he seemed to be more forgiving, his eyes were said to be a darker shade of violet.  

It was like he had two completely different souls trapped within the same body. 

Usually the emperor was able to foresee upcoming raids and able to adequately prepare the suspected town. But this latest attack was something Sanosuke had not seen forthcoming at all. What interest did Battousai have in military affairs? And why would he want to stir up such trouble for the emperor? After all…

Himura, I think it's time your old friend paid you a visit. Even though I'm sure you're already expecting me …

*-*-*-*-*-*-   


	4. Desert Shadow

C&C seront très appreciées (C&C would be very appreciated)! My French 4 teacher would be so proud of me…^_^

_Text in all italics _denotes flashback

Desert Rose 

By Lady Calliope

**Chapter 4: **Desert Shadow

Himura Kenshin smiled grimly. Of course, he had known that Sanosuke would undoubtedly come to see him after the sovereign had received word of the latest raid. But he hadn't slept in days, and it was going to be a long night…

Upon spotting his friend's approaching horse, Kenshin wearily lifted himself from his comfortable spot by the flickering fire and began making his way towards the entrance to the camp. How else would the emperor of Kahaktri be allowed access to the Hitokiris current encampment?

"Himura," Sanosuke greeted him with a tired smile, "I see you are doing well, my friend."

"As well as one can in this godforsaken desert," the redhead replied, shaking his friend's hand as they clapped each other on the back. "So Sano, to what honor do I owe this visit by the emperor himself?"

They had begun walking towards Kenshin's private tent near the fire, Sanosuke's eyes turned to the starry sky above and the Battousai's eyes to the ground below. "It has always seemed a great amusement of yours to ask questions to which you already know the answers. You haven't changed since we were kids, you know that?"

"I suppose it's just an old habit from those days that I just never really rid myself of," Kenshin rejoined with a small smile. By this time they had reached the tent and stepped inside, settling themselves comfortably against the many pillows scattered about the floor. "That raid today was not done in any malice against your county, Sano."

"Oh?" the emperor returned, raising an eyebrow. "I suppose, then, that it was meant to help us. But I fail to see the benefit of having some of the most important military documents in the hands of the most renowned gang of marauders in my country." 

Despite the fact that the words were spoken in a razor sharp tongue, the swordsman knew there his friend intended no spite. He was tired, and so was Kenshin. Being the central pillar to different groups of people was beginning to take its toll on each of them. "Are you therefore saying that you wish to go to war against Nihamra and lose?" he stated soberly, staring at Sanosuke. 

"N..no!" the sovereign stammered, dumbfounded. "What does a war with our greatest enemy have to do with you stealing the military's property?!"

"Plenty," Kenshin answered evenly. "You see, I did not take those papers on an impetuous whim, Sano. I have no use for such things. However, the Nihamran government does."

The implications of his words ran frantically through Sanosuke's mind. _Is my country going to be invaded? Is that what he's saying?!_ He couldn't even form words to speak; this was drastically unexpected, to say the least. 

"As a piece of advice, my friend, exercise more caution when deciding who to appoint to some of the highest levels of leadership. Some men are corrupted to the core. Your commanding general, Hajime Saitoh, is one such man," the bandit leader explained coolly. 

"You mean…he…he was going to…"

"…Sell off those military papers at a very handsome price to the Nahamran government. And he would have become a very wealthy man, indeed. That is, had I not discovered his impending treachery and taken the documents before he could hand them over to the enemy."

Sanosuke immediately felt a pang of guilt. He had jumped straight to the same conclusion everyone else had:  the Hitokiris were attempting to create some real problems for Kahaktri by riding off with those papers. Knowing he had made a terrible mistake, he quickly apologized to his friend. 

Kenshin merely dismissed the matter with a wave of his hand. "Do not dwell on it; it was an expected misunderstanding," he claimed calmly. "Just remember: My men and I may be outlaws, but that doesn't mean we don't wish to protect our country. You have been good to us, Sano."

A small chuckle escaped the emperor's throat at his friend's statement. "Yes, I suppose not having you thrown into the dungeon by now is a good reason to protect this country. It's the only place where you won't be imprisoned for raiding towns."

The two laughed at the truth in those words.

Since neither of them had had anything close to a meal that day, they ate and drank together for a while longer, sharing stories of their current life and reminiscing about those from times before. Finally, after the moon's bright light had begun to soften with the coming day, Kenshin turned to his childhood friend and asked him a question he had been pondering since he became a marauder. "Hey Sano, why _haven't_ you ever even tried to stop me from attacking your towns? It doesn't seem to me that such a thing could aid your country in any way."

Smiling in amusement, the sovereign simply replied, "You're my friend and have been since my mother was killed when I was five. You were the first person to arrive at my sister's funeral three years ago. You're also one of the only people that talks to me like I'm a person instead of a deity."

The redhead grinned in return. "I guess that makes sense in some emotional sort of way," he rejoined, still smiling. "Thank you."

"Anything at all for a friend. Of course, you do realize that I can only continue this charade of tracking you down as long as no one is killed, Kenshin."

"Yes, I know. But you need not worry about that; I made a promise years ago, didn't I? Not even this gypsy's curse of mine can force me to break it."

Nodding in understanding, Sanosuke mounted his chestnut colored horse and set off for Sumaktra. Sand, dunes, and occasional trees all flew by in a blur. He had to hurry; his guests were arriving today.

*-*-*-*-*-*-

"But Kenshin, do you think you can lay low with the raids for a little while?" he asked, taking another bite from his wild nekcihc. "I have a very special friend who is arriving tomorrow and I don't want her and her companion to feel their safety is in any danger."

_"Of course," the marauder assured him, taking another sip of his water. "But if you don't mind my asking, who is this friend of yours and her guest?"_

_Sanosuke smiled as he recalled the memories of his close childhood friend from Torahika. "Kamiya Kaoru. And her companion is named…Takani Megumi, I believe."_

*-*-*-*-*-*-


	5. Grains of Sand

_____ would be wondrous (answer: C&C) ^_^ . I wasn't feeling too well when I wrote this, so I hope it at least makes some amount of sense. 

Desert Rose 

By Lady Calliope

**Chapter 5: **Grains of Sand

Standing back from the embrace, she let her eyes wander over the figure of her childhood friend. She was beginning to notice that the changes he had undergone were simply living proof that it had been far too long since they had last seen each other. A wistful smile crossed her face as she pulled him into another embrace. "It's been far too long, Sano. Seven years is too much time passed…"

"For once, I agree," he returned with a small smile. "I'm very glad you were finally able to work up the courage to return here."

"So am I," she rejoined, pulling away from his arms and slapping him lightly on the back. Suddenly, her eyes became wide as she looked back and her gaze fell on her silent companion. "Oh, how could I be so thoughtless?! Takani Megumi, meet the emperor of Kahaktri and all around dim-witted guy, Yukishiro Sagara Sanosuke."

The dark haired woman chuckled as her friend's mild slander elicited a mouthful of insults from the dignified ruler. "It's a pleasure," she greeted him, hoping to mitigate the current situation. 

Taking her proffered hand, he kissed it lightly. "I assure you, the pleasure is all mine," he responded coyly, smiling a little as he took in her features. "Has anyone ever told you how beautiful you are, Ms.Takani?" 

Reclaiming her hand from his grasp, she replied sweetly, "Has anyone ever told you your hair resembles that of a rooster? And you can call me Megumi."

Stunned at the outright familiarity with which she had spoken, Sanosuke could only blink in response. When he had finally regained his composure, he calmly replied, "And you can call me Sanosuke."

Sensing the possible argument that was bound to take place between her two most stubborn friends, Kaoru quickly smiled in apology at Sanosuke. Then, muttering an excuse about unpacking their belongings, she grabbed Megumi's arm and headed for their room, assuring him that they would be at dinner. This left a dumbfounded emperor staring at their retreating backs.   

_No…no one has ever spoken so…rudely to me before upon first meeting me,_ he thought, recalling the insult Megumi had dealt him. He glanced at the spot where the two had stood just a few minutes before.

And he allowed a small smile to overcome his face. 

*-*-*-*-*-*-

"What were you thinking?!" Kaoru demanded as soon as she had closed the carved wooden door of their room firmly behind them. Although it was one of the finest rooms in the palace, she had no interest in admiring its beauty at the moment.  

"What was I thinking? That he's an egotistical, arrogant, vain man who thinks he's the gods gift to the world," she replied coolly, opening one of her trunks and beginning to sort through her clothes. 

"Well, yes that's true, but it's beside the point," the shorter girl returned with a smirk. "What I'm trying to say is that your tongue is going to get you in a lot of trouble one of these days, Megumi. Do you realize that if the emperor were, say, Sano's brother Enishi, your head would no longer be a part of your body? Or at least, an attached part, anyway."

The older woman simply rolled her eyes at Kaoru's morbid suggestion. "And do you realize, my friend, that if the emperor were anyone else besides Sanosuke I would not have said that? Besides, anyone else would not have tried to make such a blatant show of attraction towards me."

Both girls smiled at each other before continuing to unpack their belongings. A comfortable silence hung in the air until the sun could no longer be seen above the desert sand, and the two changed their clothes for dinner. 

_In any case,_ Megumi thought sullenly as they made they're way towards the dining hall, _it seems that the famed emperor is no better a man than any other I've met. To them, I'm nothing but a pretty piece of flesh… _

*-*-*-*-*-*-

Sanosuke grinned and motioned for Kaoru to take the seat beside him as soon as she entered the room. Megumi smiled a saccharine smile as she placed herself across the table from them, and the sovereign merely snorted at her all too derisive expression. 

Shortly after the girls had seated themselves, a young boy with dark, spiky hair entered the dining hall and clambered loudly across the floor to the seat on the other side of Sanosuke. Following a safe distance behind him was a tall man with gray hair who quietly settled down next to Megumi, never once looking up until he was comfortable on the plush pillows. There was one seat left, next to the gray-haired man, and Kaoru looked around expectantly. 

"Where's Tomoe? I don't ever remember her being late to anything…" she wondered aloud, not noticing the flicker of deep pain that coursed through the tall man and her friend's eyes. 

"Tomoe's…Tomoe's dead, Jou-chan," Sanosuke whispered, his gaze falling to the floor. 

Shocked, Kaoru could only stammer, "I…I had no idea…you never said…I'm very, truly sorry…"

Smiling sadly, the ruler replied kindly, "Please, don't apologize. You didn't know because I never wrote to you about it. I didn't tell you…Tomoe's death…"

"You didn't know because you didn't need to. The circumstances surrounding my sister's death are not something outsiders should be familiar with."

All eyes turned with astonishment to the mysterious figure beside Megumi.

Hoping to alleviate some of the tension in the air, the dark-haired woman announced cordially, "I'm sorry, but I don't believe we've met. I am Takani Megumi, may I know your name?"

The man's harsh eyes fell upon her as he returned curtly, "Yukishiro Enishi. I am Sanosuke's brother."

Refusing to allow the stun she felt to become apparent, Megumi smiled as she nodded politely and turned her gaze back to Kaoru. But the younger girl could see it in her friend's eyes that she was appalled. 

After a few minutes of silence, and to pass the time, Kaoru and Sanosuke began talking of their childhood days in Sumaktra and the many adventures they had experienced within the palace walls. "So, Jou-chan, what happened to you after you and your mother left the capital? Did you ever find the perfect suitor?" he teased, winking at his friend.

She laughed. "No, I never did. None of them were ever perfect enough, you know?" she explained with a grin. "After what…happened with father, mother and I moved back to her birthplace, Toratkiha, when I was nine, as you know. Life there was wonderful, but nothing could compare to our days in Kahaktri, especially here in Sumaktra. But, not even two years after we moved to Pihara, mother became very ill and died shortly thereafter."

As memories of her mother clouded her mind, she suddenly realized she had ceased talking and her friends were looking at her with concern. Waving away their anxieties, she continued. "After mother passed away, I was put in the care of the royal family's physician, Dr.Genzai. He was a very kind man who treated me as if I were his own daughter. The emperor of Toratkiha even visited me once in a while; I discovered that he had been a close friend of my father when he still worked as Emperor Hiko's advisor. Before I knew it, it had been seven years since I had last stepped foot in Kahaktri. Which brings us to the present."

Sanosuke mulled over his friend's story and could not help but ask the one thing that struck him odd. "Did you ever uncover anything further regarding your father's…sudden death?" he asked quietly. 

Her eyes hardened a little. "No, we didn't. I still have not the slightest clue as to who is responsible for my father's murder."

"Neither have we regarding Tomoe's murder, either. It seems there is a very well trained group of assassins running about this country," he responded bitterly. 

"Or just one demonic Hitokiri they call Battousai," Enishi stated loudly. His knuckles turned white from the great pressure with which he grasped the edge of the table. 

Sanosuke's eyes flickered ever so slightly with fear at his brother's words. "Enishi," he began in a hard tone, "there's been no proof that he was the one who committed these atrocities, and we know that as long as he's been a Hitokiri he has never killed a single person…"

"Why are you defending that creature?! He deserves our decapitation block, not our sympathy!" Enishi roared in anger, his eyes dancing with a tangible hatred. 

Before the fight could become worse, Kaoru stridently interjected, "Just who is this 'Battousai' character, anyway? I don't believe I've ever heard of him."

The emperor's eyes reflected a grateful sign of relief. "He is the leader of the most infamous band of marauders in Kahaktri: the Hitokiris. The name Battousai was given to him by his men. His skill with the sword is unparalleled, as is his success. But there are some very odd things about him, that's for sure."

"Such as…?"

"He never allows himself or his men to kill anyone, ever. He has never been seen drinking or seducing women like his men. But, the oddest things about him are his eyes. Some say they are fierce amber and reflect a desire only to destroy; others say they are a deep shade of violet that seem almost concerned. And it seems that, whenever his eyes are amber colored, his attitude and swordsmanship are lethal and ferocious, which is quite the opposite of when his eyes are violet. He is such a vexation upon the military and myself…" he explained, sighing in what appeared to be frustration. 

Kaoru was intrigued. Such mysterious men were unheard of in Toratkiha…

"I think it sounds absolutely romantic…" Megumi sighed, her face acquiring a dazed focus. All eyes turned to her questioningly. 

"Megumi…" Kaoru prodded, confused. Her friend never spoke of men in such a way…she despised them for their "disgusting behavior".

"Women are so dumb," a juvenile voice stated, the disdain evident in his words.

Sanosuke turned to his other side. "Yahiko! Don't say that when we have two women sitting right here! I know Kaoru would hit you if she could for that…"

"So what? I'd hit her back. Besides, all they're doing is talking about how 'romantic' Battousai is. They haven't even said a word about his superior fighting ability!" the boy retaliated, glancing at the two girls. 

"Um, Sano, correct me if I'm wrong, but is that your nephew?" Kaoru asked coolly, returning the boy's disapproving stare. "I remember you telling me Tomoe had a son..."

The sovereign sighed in defeat as the glaring contest between Yahiko and Kaoru continued. "Yes, this the nephew I've had since I was eleven, Yukishiro Myoujin Yahiko. He was born a few months after you left. Yahiko, this is Kamiya Kaoru and Takani Megumi. They'll be staying with us for a while," he informed the boy, hitting him upside the head to end the glares.

"You mean Ugly over there is actually going to be living in the same house as I am? The gods must really hate me," Yahiko declared in annoyance as he rubbed his head. 

"What did you just call me?!" Kaoru shouted, ready to reduce the number of living members of the royal family by one. 

Sano restrained his friend as the insults flew through the air between the two. _Oh yes, this is going to be so much fun,_ he thought wryly, sighing as Yahiko reached for the curved blade at his waist. "Now, now, Yahiko, I wouldn't advise using that. Jou-chan here is pretty good with the sword; I'd back down if I were you."

The thirteen year-old snorted in derision. "Oh yeah? How good?"

"Why don't you ask the head of the palace guard? She taught him everything he knows when she was eight," Sanosuke replied, smiling at Kaoru as she nodded proudly. 

The only one not laughing at Yahiko's apparent state of injured pride was Enishi. 

*-*-*-*-*-*-

Nothing but emptiness greeted Kaoru as she stepped out onto the balcony. The crisp feel of the desert night breathed on her skin and the harmonious sounds of the night animals resounded in her ears. Once again her nightmare had kept her from sleeping soundly for the seventh time that month. 

She closed her eyes and allowed the soft breeze to play with the loose strands of dark hair that fell about her face from where it was fastened atop her head. Suddenly, her eyes flashed open and darted about as she heard the sound of a rock lightly scraping on the ground beneath the balcony, as if someone had accidentally kicked it…

Shuddering at the sudden chill she felt, she turned and walked quickly across the balcony towards her room and closed the curtains behind her. 

A pair of shadowed eyes watched her retreating figure from the gardens below.


	6. Maelstrom

Sorry for the long delay between chapters. The fangs of that infamous enemy, otherwise known as school, are beginning to bear down much harder upon me. * sigh *  
  
All C&C appreciated and welcomed (Lady_Tsunami@hotmail.com).   
  
  
bDesert Rose/b  
By Lady Calliope  
  
Chapter 6: Maelstrom   
  
Glowing in the harsh light of the dancing campfire, he watched in detached fascination as the crimson liquid slowly spread its warm fingers across the sand only to be beckoned back to the earth from which it came moments later. A dark trail, a stain of the morose sort, now settled itself into the spot beside him as the last droplets of liquid were absorbed into the desert floor. All of this passed before eyes that observed but did not see, the mind behind the irises too preoccupied with something beyond the visible plane of comprehension.   
  
A desire, a lust, greater than any human should or could feel, was beginning to claw its way to the surface of his psyche and the voluntary impulses that controlled his limbs. It was a feeling he had experienced before, and it usually ended in very violent results. The need for blood, for the exhilaration that came from slitting the skin open to reveal all inside, for a fulfillment to one of the most carnal desires known to Man: power. Power to give life and power to take life, power to spare and power to condemn, all the powers needed and yet unnecessary to take omnipotent control of this world and the souls living in it.   
  
It was overwhelming and slowly overcoming.   
  
Kenshin growled and shook his head madly, the thoughts so pressing upon his conscious that he could no longer control them. He attempted to clear his head many more times, and finally, after what seemed like an eternity, his vision came slowly back to him. Eventually, he was able to discern more than just amorphous black forms sitting around him, either not aware of what turmoil he was fighting with or knowing better than to ask. If any one of them had turned to look at their leader at that moment, all attention would have be drawn to his eyes, where fierce amber was gently giving way to cool violet. A chorus of laughter from his men broke the final hold his previous thoughts had had on him, and he gazed around as if trying to find the true reality about him after waking from a dream that had masqueraded as such.   
  
His eyes came to rest on his wet hand, broken shards of a clay cup scattered about him, resting in a dry, dark pool in the sand, and imbedded in the skin of his palm. Almost in disbelief, he trailed a finger from his other hand across the shiny smear on his flesh, and his fingers came away sticky and warm with blood. His blood.  
  
How very surreal it was to see the blood from his own veins on his hands.  
  
Sighing like one who had fought a long and merciless battle only to discover more enemies were lying in wait, he lay down upon the soft sand beneath him and clasped his hands behind his head. His eyes sought the comfort of the waning moon above him, the one thing that was constant and never changing in his life of interminable chaos. It was beginning again, and it was becoming harder and harder to control.   
  
Unsuccessfully, he tried to push the rapidly surfacing memories down into the depths of his mind once again, but they refused to be manipulated. All at once, flashes of images long since buried once again became the daunting focus of his thoughts: a tall shadow beneath the swaying fronds of desert palm tree, whispers heard by only the night creatures of the sands, a raging war cry, the clashing of three swords, amber glinting in the darkness, a searing pain streaking across his cheek, a desperate cry, blood, and then silence. Oh gods, the silence.  
  
Five days after that horrific night laced with a metallic stench and crimson, he had awakened with an unbearable pain coursing throughout his body, only to fall into the open arms of unconsciousness moments later. The last sensation he could remember was the feeling that someone had buried a sharp, metallic something in his side. It was not the broad edge of a sword, but something smaller. Something like a dart…  
  
His eyes closed tightly as he shook his head fiercely one last time. Suddenly, he rose from his place in the sand and strode towards his tent, closing the flap behind him without a sound or word of explanation. Finally, after several splashes of ice cold water, he managed to bury those memories in the intricate corridors of his mind, determined to seal them away for eternity. A false hope, he knew, but still he tried.   
  
The final coherent thought he had running through his head before he was lulled to sleep was the voice of someone, a young woman, chanting a phrase to an unknown beat as if chiding him.   
  
i"A gypsy is a terrible thing to anger…"/i  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-  
  
As he rounded the corner to the inner courtyard, he stopped dead in his tracks. A blush slowly climbed its way up his cheeks as scowled at himself for reacting like that just upon seeing her. But she was so beautiful just to look at…  
  
Dark, vibrant hair hung around her face and a little above her shoulder, framing her innocent features in raven waterfalls. Her dark eyes danced with her voice as she hummed a quiet song to herself, one without words or pattern. The dark blue of her sleeveless woven top was a wonderful companion to the beige of her long skirt, which had a small slit in it up to her knee. Light, decorative lace in a shade of blue many tones lighter than that of her shirt was tied about her waist, draping diagonally across the front of her skirt on the opposite side of the slit. The outfit of a servant, but it made little difference to him. She was calmly gathering flowering blossoms from one of the many luxurious looking and foreign trees in the courtyard. His mother had told him she had helped plant those trees when she was a child…   
  
A small, frustrated sigh brought his thoughts from his departed mother back to reality. It appeared that the girl was vainly searching for something without success and was becoming rather flustered at the situation.   
  
"Now, where did I put those other flowers?" she asked herself quietly, searching all around the base of the tree and sighing in disappointment when she could not find them. "They were my favorite ones, too…"  
  
He suddenly found the opportunity to speak to her spring before his young eyes, an opportunity he had long been waiting for since he had first laid eyes upon her. The bundle of flowers in question was, thank the gods, merely a few meters away from him but hidden from her view by another tree. Taking a deep breath, he walked to the spot where the flowers were concealed, gathered them in his hands, and strode as nonchalantly as he could towards her.   
  
"Are you looking for these, miss?" he asked, trying to mask the nervousness he felt with politeness. He couldn't remember the last time he had ever resorted to politeness to cover for his anxiety.  
  
"Oh!" she jumped at his voice. She turned around, preparing to thank whoever it was who had found her flowers, but gasped as she recognized the face that was giving her a small smile. "P…Prince Yahiko! What…I…um…"  
  
His smile broadened at her state of confusion and shock. He guessed she didn't see royalty wandering around the palace grounds all that much. "You…you're Tsubame, right?" he stuttered, hoping she wouldn't think him intimidating because he knew her name. Of course, that was one of the first things he had learned about her after he had first seen her...  
  
"Y…yes. I am. How do you know my name?" she queried, the sound of disbelief ringing in her voice as she shifted her balance from side to side.   
  
"I heard Sohjiro talking with Sano about his sister a few weeks ago. He seemed really happy that you were coming to work here," he explained, half-lying. Actually, once the messenger had described his sister to him, Yahiko had immediately, if not impetuously, asked for her name. Sohjiro was one of the few people working at the palace that both he and Sanosuke enjoyed spending time with. That is, when the messenger was in Sumaktra and not running about Kahaktri gathering news.  
  
"My…brother?" she muttered, dubious that Sohjiro was actually friends with the royal family. But Yahiko seemed serious about the conversation, which elicited a slight chuckle from her. "My brother, spending time with Sanosuke-sama and his nephew like he was one of the family. I would never have guessed…Thank you for finding my flowers, Prince."  
  
"Just Yahiko is fine. All that 'Prince' stuff seems kinda dumb between friends. I mean, if being friends is alright with you," he quickly amended, afraid he had overstepped his bounds.   
  
She giggled softly, her quiet nature never abandoning her for a moment. "That sounds wonderful."   
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-  
  
"Hey, Sano?"   
  
The emperor looked up from the cup of wine he was nursing, his attention turned to the red-haired companion sitting across from him on a large, plush cushion. A quizzical gaze had settled itself on the bandit leader's features. "Mm?" he replied.  
  
"Who…The other night, when I was leaving the palace, I saw someone standing on the balcony outside one of the east rooms. I've never seen her before," he explained, his eyes not really focused on Sanosuke.   
  
"Oh, her? That was probably Kaoru. She's been a light sleeper for as long as I can remember," he answered, taking another sip of the red liquid in his goblet.  
  
"Is she the friend you told me was coming to visit a few nights ago? Her name is Kamiya Kaoru, right?"  
  
"Yeah," he affirmed, swirling the wine in his cup. Then, a spark of mischief leapt into his eyes. "Why?"  
  
Kenshin was well aware of the look his friend was giving him. "Just curious."  
  
The sovereign knew his marauder friend far too well to take that answer for face value. Kenshin was much more intrigued than just 'curious' if he had asked Sanosuke for her name.   
  
The sovereign smiled mischeviously. iIt looks like another guest bedroom will be in need of preparation very soon./i  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-  
  
She laughed a bitter laugh at the vision she was watching with her sight beyond sight, eyes closed. iDo you really think me so much a child that you take your burden so lightly? We'll see just how long you can keep your bloodlust contained, Kenshin./i  
  
The cool pressure of something around her wrist became more apparent as she slowly opened her eyes to the world surrounding her. A deep sigh tinged with loneliness escaped her body as she fingered the golden bracelet...and remembered.   
  
iAoshi-sama…/i   
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-  
  
The lovely image of a raven-haired young woman smiled back at him as he closed his eyes, allowing the scent of the spices and incense of the room to play with his senses. A slow grin tainted with something not quite sane spread its way across his face.  
  
iSoon, very soon, Sister, we will have our revenge. You are not forgotten, Tomoe…/i 


	7. Come Elysium

I'd like to apologize beforehand if this chapter seems like crap. I know where I want the story to begin and go and end, it's actually writing the middle stuff that's hard. ^_^ Alas, so are the tribulations of an author, ne? On with the fic!

As a side note, for some reason, ff.net does not correctly upload all of my italics. So, if the italic patterns seem kinda crazy, that's why. Just thought I'd give you a heads up. ^~^

Comments: Lady_Tsunami@hotmail.com

_Text in all italics_ denotes flashback

Desert Rose

By Lady Calliope

**Chapter 7: **Come Elysium

Shit.

That was the first coherent thought that ran through his mind after he finished reading the conclusion of his lieutenant's report. Now, under normal circumstances, Hajime Saitoh was not the kind of person who would lose control of his emotions easily when things went awry; he would simply revise his strategy and carry on with his original objectives intact. But, after reading his officer's report on the reconnaissance findings, the particular situation he was now facing was anything but normal.  

The dead didn't just walk back from the grave. 

"Aoshi, get in here!"

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

Throughout the history of Mankind, there have been many peaceful accomplishments and good deeds completed. These are the kinds of things historians love to write about and share with the entire world: the side of Man that faces the light and reflects its brilliance. But there is also another side to all people that is very seldom acknowledged but never denied its existence: the dark shadow that hides on the other side of the luminescent moon. While there is no fallacy in the fact that Mankind can be attributed with many good effects, Man can also be attributed those things that hide in the deep recesses of the shadows, far from the scrutiny of the light. There have been hideous crimes and bloody wars in which humans use other humans as tools to reach their ultimate goal, be it for the sake of humanity or for the sake of themselves. After all, the ends justify the means, right? 

There is a reason for this subtle dark side, however. Some congenital flaw resides in every human's soul, and it is this flaw that so often causes us to find ourselves battling flesh to flesh. It's just an interminable circle that allows for no chance of escape: war to peace, peace to prosperity, prosperity to jealousy, jealousy to hate, hate to war, and back again. Even among close family and friends this cycle holds true, however cruel that may seem. 

But for someone like Saitoh, this perpetual cycle is what he thrived on. There are simply those who are unfit to lead a life without event or consequence where they cannot fight for their beliefs, which is perhaps the reason why Saitoh loved this continuum of warfare. He could fight to gain peace and fight to keep the peace safe for others and be assured that life will always continue in this way. Some may question his morality and the verity of his intentions, but what do the opinions of the ignorant matter? In any case, he would be able to lead a very eventful life and live it by his own rules, and he had succeeded in doing so thus far. 

However, the foreboding feeling that nightfall brought with the moonrise was more than enough to make the hairs on his neck stand alert. Something was coming, and it involved far more than the petty desires and simple machinations he had grown so accustomed to seeing before the axes of battle were raised high. 

Oh no, this felt much worse. 

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-     

"Yes, Saitoh-sama?" The tone in his voice was a little more agitated than he had intended, but he did not attempt to apologize for it. Riding for three days and three nights straight, through nothing but sand and wind, had the tendency to do that to a person.

He raised an eyebrow at his officer's tone, but did nothing more. "Is it true?" Saitoh queried harshly, his gaze once again returning to the paper on his desk. "Your report, is it truly accurate or partial speculation?"

"No, it is all fact. I recorded what I saw in my notes and simply reported it back to you. There is no pretense in that report," the lieutenant replied, his voice now more controlled. 

"So he's back, then. This is certainly something unexpected and most disturbing. I suspect you already know what this means?" he asked, sure that his best officer had long before pieced the proverbial puzzle together in his swift mind. 

"Yes, Saitoh-sama, I do," he answered, shifting his weight. "He's still at it, after all these years. I would have thought that he would have forgotten all of that by now."

"No, of course not. That would be the smart thing to do."

A few moments of still silence enveloped them, each engulfed in their own thoughts. Finally, something dawned on the general as he caught sight of the dark red ribbon Aoshi always kept fastened around his sheath. "Are you going to tell her?" he asked, half to himself. He had been doing a lot of questioning today.

The lieutenant followed his superior's gaze and sighed, the only indication of emotion since his irritated tone earlier. "I don't think so. It would be too painful for her, and besides, I haven't even laid eyes upon her in seven years," he responded quietly. It was a subject he didn't particularly care to broach; strong emotions always overcame him when speaking of her and he didn't like the feeling of not being in control of himself at all times. 

"Then this would be a good time to visit. I think you at least owe her that, Aoshi. Would you rather she finds it out on her own, or worse, from him directly?" the Kahaktrian general countered, knowing he had just unsheathed a very hot knife to force his lieutenant to look at the situation rationally.

"I…I'll think about it," he admitted softly, Saitoh's words cutting to the core and leaving him desperately in need of a change of subject. Suddenly, he remembered something that had been intriguing him for the past few weeks. "How did that whole matter with your "treason" turn out, Saitoh?"

The general didn't miss the absence of the formal suffix, and inwardly he was relieved. The kid was finally relaxing a little. "There was nothing of consequence to discuss. Honestly, thinking I would actually betray my own country and hand over _real_ military documents of such grave importance. Sanosuke probably got the idea from Himura."

"True, but in their defense, your intentions are not always crystal clear, Saitoh. _I _don't even know what your have in mind most of the time."

The general allowed a slight chuckle to surface on his normally humorless face. "Just the way I would like to keep it. My affairs are my own and no one else's."

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

The desert was much colder at night and Kenshin had discovered he liked it that way. The sun's light was simply too blazing and so damned intolerable in this climate, but the night was serene and welcoming like the arms of a forgotten mother. 

_He felt, rather than saw, someone approach from behind. Hand at his left hip, ready to draw his blade if necessary, he turned ever so slightly to look into the face of this newcomer. A sigh of relief flooded his mind. _

_"Aoshi."_

"Himura," the taller man replied, slightly inclining his head in greeting. 

_Kenshin had long been awaiting the arrival of his fellow Hitokiri and military informant. True, having someone who could get close to the higher-ups in the army was really useful, but at the same time frustrating because of conflicts between the two separate duties. "I was starting to think you'd been detained by another reconnaissance mission. Do you have any news regarding the situation?" the bandit leader inquired, eyes perfectly reflecting his anxiety. _

"Yes, and some rather disturbing news, at that," the soldier replied, his glance darting about the small oasis fervently to assure himself they were alone. "It appears the situation is much more complicated than we first thought. Our enemies seem to have no knowledge of the threats they have been sending us, but at the same time have possession of several of our military strategies and documents."

_"It seems there's a traitor among the Kahaktrian army, then," the redhead muttered, thinking out loud. "Any ideas on who this bastard is?"_

_"I can't confirm anything yet. Whoever it is has done one hell of a job covering their tracks and…"_

_Their conversation was abruptly shattered by the piercing sound of something like a war cry. Suddenly, like a great bird of darkness, a figure fell from the air and landed soundly between the two men, never losing balance. Wasting no time, the mysterious figure withdrew his sword and attacked both men without warning. His skill became quite apparent when, in a matter of minutes, he had gained the upper hand against the two Hitokiris. _

_Kenshin charged forward, taking the offensive and giving the intruder a taste of his raw power. However, it did not take long for the man to gain his footing once again and, with a mighty blow, he sent the red-haired man into the trunk of the nearest palm tree. Coughing blood and cursing profusely, the marauder leapt from where he had landed and once again attacked the stranger head on. He managed to down the man twice, dealing him several crippling blows to the torso, and began to feel his confidence returning from his languid, shock-induced state of mind. He charged again, intending to end the fight, but before he could even come close with his sword, he felt the impact of the blunt end of a hilt on his forehead. A dirty tactic brought forth on a second wind._

_As his vision was blurring, he began to stumble back only to be caught on the wrist by his attacker. Irrevocably held in place, with his enemy's blade poised at his stomach, the Battousai realized death would come on swift wings if he could not free himself. But the strike never came. The mysterious swordsman had quickly flipped his weapon so it was directed behind him and thrust backwards, never taking his eyes away from Kenshin. _

_Aoshi, caught in mid-stroke with an unprotected torso, fell wordlessly to the sand in a pool of his own blood, an angry, deep gash in his stomach._

_Without a sound, the assassin sheathed his sword and quickly fled the scene amidst Kenshin's infuriated screams, his bandages trailing in the wind behind him. _

_"Do not attempt to interfere with our plans, Battousai, or you will lose more than just a lieutenant. An emperor, perhaps…"_

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

His eyes shot wide-open as he sat up ramrod straight, his breathing heavy and his palms clammy. _Gods, you think I'd be used to this dream by now. _After all, this wasn't the first time he had experienced it. The thing that disturbed him most about this dream, however, was not what happened throughout its course, for in that sense it was more a memory than a dream, but the fact that it had been recurring several times within the past few months was enough to make him wary.     

   

Even more, the fact that it had been recurring at least once a night for the past week was enough to make him worry.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

She watched in a horrified fashion as her love died right before her eyes. 

Even though she was seventy-three miles away, the distance served as no hindrance to keep her from experiencing first-hand emotions. After all, she didn't need to be there if she could witness the whole scene from where she stood, eyes closed, in her tent. The sound of his last breath was enough to convince her it was all terribly real. 

_And there was nothing she could do about it. _

How cruel could the gods be? To bless her with powers that allowed her to do extraordinary things, but she could not save the life of the one she loved most in this world. It was the first time she had felt utterly useless and weak, unable to do anything but watch and cry. If only she had been able to see the man, woman, or thing responsible for his death, then she could avenge him instantly and ease the grief a little. But there was nothing she could see in the clouded image to offer any kind of clue as to the identity of Aoshi's murderer.

_Unless…_

_Here tears of lament turned to tears of hate as she continued to watch the death vision slowly clarify into something more distinguishable than just a dying soldier. Him. It was him. She could see it now: the blood on his clothes, his unsheathed sword lying on the ground next to Aoshi, the body of her love in his arms. He had killed her lover, father, brother, friend, and confidant all in one stroke. And he would pay.  _

_Dearly._

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

She laughed as she sealed the curse, completing the ritual by thrusting one of her sharpened darts into her side and causing the blood to flow freely from the confines of her body. Her macabre humor was only furthered when she watched the vision of his body convulse, wracked with the curse's pain. His eyes opened momentarily as he screamed in agony, showing a shade of amber the world had never known before. A few moments later, the convulsions subsided and the color of his eyes slowly returned to their usual violet color. Before he fully drowned in the open arms of unconsciousness, she left him with one final thought. 

_"A gypsy is a terrible thing to anger."_

_Now, she would see how long he could survive with this bloodthirsty demon longing buried within his human soul. He would be ripped apart starting with his mind. What will he do now to control his bloody rage and maintain his sanity at the same time? _

_Her cold laugh echoed far into the night. _

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

All the elders in Kahaktri couldn't help him with this one, and he knew that all too well. 

If only Shishio had stayed in his grave where he was put to rest seven years ago…Feh, hoping to change the present was foolish. The future, however, was up for grabs to anyone who dared to mold it. Although he could not save their past, perhaps he could save their second chance…

It had been so painful to leave her; he had thought he would die from the suffering and emptiness that ensued. But he knew it was simply what had to be done, no matter what his personal feelings on the matter had been. The state of the country always came first, as did the people's happiness, and Aoshi had to do what was safest for the general populous and not what would best benefit his own interests. 

It hurt like hell to do the right thing. 

After that night he and Kenshin were attacked by the assassin, whom he later discovered to be Shishio, he had awoken on the dewy floor of the oasis, dry blood caked on his clothing. Although his mind had felt like it was in a million different places at once, he had slowly begun to recall the events of the past night- two nights, maybe?- and he had quickly lifted his shirt to check the wound. 

There was nothing there but unscathed skin and dry blood.

Bewildered was an understatement to what he had felt at that moment. The last thing he had recalled was the sound of his murderer's voice taunting Kenshin with threats to assassinate Sanosuke-sama should they tell others what they had learned. He didn't need to be told by anyone that Shishio had meant what he said, however mocking he may have seemed. 

Deciding that the best course of action was to return to the military encampment and report back to Saitoh, he gathered his sword and stumbled out of the oasis and into the arid desert night. Even though he knew what he was doing was for the best, he couldn't stop his mind from wandering back to melancholy thoughts of his lover and the bandit leader. 

He never saw Misao or Kenshin again. 

Walking further away from the oasis where he had been reborn, he thought he detected the smell of some exotic fragrance on the cool breeze. 

It almost smelled…like white plums.


	8. Fireside Tales

I've noticed something about the chapters of this story that really irks me: they're too short. Gomen ne, I never really noticed before, minna. So, in spirit of the New Year and all (ano…yeah), I shall be attempting to fuse more things into longer chapters instead of separating them into numerous short ones. 

And the plot? What plot? Heh, you'll just have to wait and see; all will be explained in the end. Or will it? ^_~ 

Comments: Lady_Tsunami@hotmail.com

Desert Rose

By Lady Calliope

**Chapter 8: **Fireside Tales

The soft glow of the moon cast shadows all about the room, only adding to the myriad of dark shapes already dancing silently about on the pristine marble walls in a tuneless manner. The harsh, cold kiss of the desert night air was kept at bay only by two thick curtains of the finest velvet in Kahaktri. It was nights like these when Kaoru was glad for the safety and warmth the gentle hearth provided her, but it also made her sad in a way. The thought of the many people who lacked the wealth or the means to enjoy such simple pleasures as a warm fire flooded her with guilt, and she once again wondered why she had been born of noble blood. It seemed unfair to her on nights such as this that so few should control so much.

_I'm starting to sound like father…_she mused almost wistfully. 

"Hey, Jou-chan, you asleep or something?"

Her friend's gruff, albeit concerned, voice effectively shattered her inner musings. "No, Sano, not at all. I couldn't possibly sleep on a night such as this," she replied softly, turning her gaze to the intricate steps of the flames before her. 

The emperor took the few moments of silence between them to observe her as she lie on her side on the floor, her head supported by one arm and the other resting loosely beside her. Of the first things he noticed, the fact that she was no longer the girl he once knew struck him hard. She had grown, naturally, and along with her long legs and gentle curves came the sudden realization that he, although unconsciously, had been regarding her in a different light since the moment of her arrival earlier that same week. She was no longer the little girl he had been so fond of reeking havoc with as a child, his friend and partner in crime, but a mature, young woman bearing the weight of many arduous trials and, though he hated to admit, carrying an air of innocent beauty. Ever more so was the glaring fact that all these hitherto unnoticed changes pointed to one thing: in the seven years they had been apart physically, they had grown ever so much more apart in spirit. It was almost like looking at a young woman he had never even known, never even met before. 

His mind began to wander back through the flow of time, back to a place eighteen years passed in his memory, when the two of them still traipsed about the palace knowing nothing of the harsh world around them save what the stories told of. Her father had been appointed to the position of Emperor's Advisor when he himself had been only a small, mischievous lad of five, and she an even smaller child of two. He remembered how annoyed he had been with her at first; she had followed him around the halls insistently, chattering away in a tongue only a child of her age could master and understand. But then came the day when she had stolen some sweets from the kitchen and innocently, perfectly passed off the blame to one of the many animals roaming about the grounds. From then on, he no longer saw her as a child that had to be entertained and watched after, but a cunning youngster capable of small-time villainies such as himself. And, most importantly, she became someone who could understand him without words. After that saccharine event with the cooks, she became his friend, ally, and apprentice. 

A partner in crime and life.     

Life had passed swiftly and serenely by for the two of them, each day presenting new adventures and tricks and stories to be explored and experienced, each day nothing like the one that came before it save the setting of the sun and the rising of the moon each daybreak and nightfall. It was the sort of camaraderie that forms only between two people of a singular bond and disposition in life: one that allowed them to struggle through turbulent waters with both oars still in tact while flinging empty insults at one another. After all, what is a friendship without a few storms on the dunes? But even after the worst of arguments, all would be forgiven by sunrise and the day would greet them with open arms once again. It became such a routine that, if ever a day passed when they did not fight or squabble, it was taken as a sign of ill boding for the universe. Needless to say, their quarrels became the stuff of legends. 

As the two grew older and closer, many began to speculate on the nature of their relationship and many more still made conjectures and guesses based on their own observations and common sense. The prince and his friend would only laugh and shake their heads at these rumors, for they knew themselves better than anyone else, and it was a great sort of amusement for them to picture themselves married with small children and infants running about the palace, whining and crying for mommy and daddy. It was comical, really, because what kind of a brother would marry his own sister? And so they laughed at the adults around them for a good many years, giving scant regard for the world outside their own.

But, as with all things good and wonderful, their friendship came to a frighteningly obscure obstacle, one that neither of them had ever fathomed before: Death.

When he had been only fifteen and Kaoru the tender age of twelve, a dark shadow fell upon the city of Kahaktri, one clothed in blood and steel. They had been out riding together amongst the sand hills of the desert until sunset, a favorite pastime for both of them that allowed them to escape the overwhelming hustle and bustle of the capital. But when the sun had begun its daily descent beneath the curtain of stars, the winds grew cold and biting, howling from the north and forcing them to turn their heads towards home. He could still remember her face when she had burst into her father's quarters to show him a beautiful flower she had found, only to discover nothing but pieces of him strewn about the floor and soaking in their own blood and flesh. The innocence and laughter that had always danced in her eyes had vanished in one instant, replaced, at first, with terrible grief and hot, uncontrollable tears as cried over her father's broken and bloody corpse. Not two days after her father's murder, the lament in her eyes had faded to a dull, lifeless sort of light, like she was alive but only in body, not in spirit. She had forever lost a part of her, and in turn so had he. 

"Hey, Sano?" she asked quietly. 

"Mm?" he replied, momentarily extricating himself from his reflections. 

"Has it…always been this cold at night?" 

He chuckled as her face stared up at him expectantly. "Yes, it is. I suppose you've lived so long in the southern kingdom that the chilliness of Kahaktri's desert nights has been long forgotten, Jou-chan."

"Or buried," she whispered, so softly he almost missed it. "In any case, it feels great to be back in the desert. I feel like…like I'm home."

He only smiled and nodded at her words, once again retreating to the memories that refused to stay hidden. 

The army was dispatched and the guards combed the streets for weeks after that, trying in vain to uncover a clue or a trace of the assassin that had slaughtered the Emperor's Advisor so brutally. But none was ever found, the murderer had vanished with the changing sands and covered his tracks far too well for even a ghost to detect them. A year after her father's death, Kaoru's mother had insisted on leaving the palace, and Kahaktri, behind forever; she had said she could still feel and hear her husband's presence in the walls and hallways of grandiose marble, whispering sweet nothings and lullabies to his wife and child. And so, they had left for the distant country of Taratkiha to stay at the palace with the emperor, a close friend of Kaoru's late father, leaving everything behind like a terrible dream. 

Leaving him behind along with it. 

Although he would never admit to anyone, not even her, those seven years in her absence had been nearly unbearable and he often times had wondered if he would ever make it to see the age of eighteen. Yes, he had met and befriended many others since then, the Battousai included, but none could compare to his Jou-chan. The seemingly only bright spot in those lonely years came from the birth of his nephew, Yukishiro Yahiko, a few short months after Kaoru had left; his twenty-two year old sister, Yukishiro Tomoe, and her husband, Sagara Sozou, had brought a ray of light into the dark lives of the palace inhabitants with that one singular miracle. But even then, when he had finally managed to endure two years without his best friend, Fate would not allow him a moment's repose. 

His own father died that night of his birthday, the complications from his congenital disease, the "bleeding cough", finally winning out over his will to live. He had turned to his closest friend, Himura Kenshin, for comfort and a shoulder to shed dry tears on, only to discover that the redhead had suddenly disappeared from the capital without a word or a trace; the only thing he left behind a brief note promising his return someday. With his world ripped so violently from under his feet, Sanosuke had ascended the throne a lost teenager without time enough for even a night of grief or tears. He was to be the sovereign, and he had to show a strong front to the people despite the tumultuous turmoil swirling and consuming his life. But inside he had yearned for someone to talk to, someone to understand him like the two friends he had lost so suddenly along with his own father. 

Then, two years later, his elder sister's body was found in the streets of Kahaktri, her remains strewn about like Karou's father's had been four years beforehand. 

How he had managed to keep a firm hold on his sanity and the kingdom as well remained a mystery to the present-day. His younger brother, Yukishiro Enishi, had not been as fortunate; the death of their sister had affected him beyond all rational comprehension. Their mother had died during Enishi's birth, and so, without a true mother to raise them, Tomoe had filled her shoes and took to caring for her two younger brothers. She continued to do so until the day she had been murdered. It was at his sister's private funeral, one no one save the royals and palace servants were to have any knowledge of, that the young ruler saw his redheaded friend for the first time in two long years. Although their meeting had been brief, it had left the sovereign with enough hope to realize that he had not been completely alone and that many more secret meetings between the two were to occur, though not indiscriminately. After that, three lamentable, horrific years had passed by at a deathly crawl, each night bringing its own horrors and nightmares to Sanosuke's mind. 

None of his peers suspected anything of his pain and torment; the mask of a humorous, jovial emperor always remained fixed on his face, never once betraying his raging emotions within. It was a trick of sorts that his Jou-chan had taught him through their years together: when life itself seems unbearable and you're at the threshold of despair, there is no better way to keep the world at bay than a smile upon your face. How very odd it was that the only time he had acted on her advice was when she was no longer around to tease him about it. He had laughed at that; a bitter laugh devoid of any humor. 

As time progressed in an endless flow of days, his suffering began to lessen, though not dissipate, with the Battousai's help and friendship. There were many a nights when neither hide nor hair were seen of the emperor, the only clue to his whereabouts a set of horse tracks leading out into the endless vastness of the desert. The two had found in one another a kind of comfort and sense of belonging that neither of them had ever even noticed they missed. Over time and many secret meetings in the desert dunes and palace rooms, Sanosuke had regained some semblance of his former good-natured self, and the separation that had been eating silently away at him for the past seven years slowly began to fade from the foreground. Then, the unthinkable had happened. 

Kaoru had promised to return within a fortnight of his twenty-third birthday, and when he had received that message, he had finally understood what this thing called happiness truly was.

"Um, Sano?" 

He immediately snapped his eyes open and fervently shook his head in an attempt to regain his awareness.

"Now look who's sleeping," she teased, poking him lightly on the arm. "What were you thinking about that made you so sleepy all of a sudden? Maybe it'll help me get some rest; it's getting really late."

"I…I was thinking about the past, actually," he replied, scratching the back of his head with one of his hands and giving her a small smile.

She seemed to be taken aback by his response and mulled it over in her mind, and for a moment he thought another long silence was going to ensnare them both. Thankfully, it did not. 

A long repressed sigh escaped her lips, her eyes losing their characteristic spark and replacing it with a look of melancholy. "We've grown apart, haven't we? In those seven years…I used to know you like the older brother I never had, Sano, and now it's like I don't even know you at all," she muttered, her gaze fixed on the fire before them. 

He smiled sadly at her admission, the irony of it not passing him by. He had been thinking the exact same thing earlier; maybe they weren't so distant after all. "I know, Jou-chan."

They stared at the slowly diminishing fire for a while before a small sound broke the stillness. The emperor was laughing. 

"What's so funny?" she asked, her eyes questioning. 

"I just…Remember the time we let the birds loose in the kitchen so we could get our hands on those sweet cakes?" he chuckled, his gaze meeting hers for the first time that night. 

She also began to giggle at the memory. "Yes, yes I do. We made such a mess of that place…and we never did get those sweet cakes."

"But we never got caught, either," he reminded her, smiling as she laughed. "Those were the days, eh Jou-chan?"

The two let the thought run over them, the grins on their faces never faltering. 

"Hey, Sano," she ventured after the laughter had cleared from the air, "just because we've been apart so long doesn't mean we can't catch up, baka."

He snorted in good humor at one of the nicknames she was so fond of using with him. "Don't you think I've already thought of that? I always was the more intelligent one," he mused, smiling devilishly at her.

"Baka," she retorted, smacking him upside the head with her free hand, effectively wiping the triumphant smirk from his face. After he had finished glaring at her for her retaliation, she sighed with a smile. "Tell me all your secrets, Sano. Tell me everything I've missed these past few years."

"Alright, but you better get comfortable, 'cause it's a long story."

"All the better to tease you with."

And so he proceeded to divulge everything that had happened while she had been away. He spoke solemnly of how she and her mother were sorely missed by the palace inhabitants, the hidden trace of sadness in his voice not overlooked by her ears. His voice became more uplifting as he told her how he had met Himura Kenshin when the young boy had been transferred to the palace to work as a messenger, but he never once mentioned to her that his friend was now the most infamous marauder in all the kingdom. She would know of that when the time came. He disclosed how the two of them had become fast friends and spoke of many of their ventures and endeavors that had left a few annoyed servants and peeved royals in their wake. She learned the details of Tomoe's pregnancy and how she had born a child, Yahiko, with her husband Sagara Sozou not three months after Kaoru had left Kahaktri. But four years later, Tomoe had been brutally attacked and murdered while in the city on some errands, and Sozou had disappeared a few short days afterwards. Kenshin had vanished two years prior to that, right after the news of Hiko-sama's death had spread across the kingdom, and Sanosuke once again refrained from telling her that his friend was alive, due to his current outlawed status. He ended with the story with the event of her letter, which he had received about a month ago, the very day before his twenty-third birthday. 

"…and it was about damn time you came for a visit, Jou-chan," he finished gruffly, reaching for his wine glass after his long speech. But the happiness that her letter had brought him did not escape her senses, despite the fact that he tried so very hard to cover it.

She took a few moments to digest all that he had just told her, realizing all too quickly that, indeed, she had missed a lot in seven years' time. "I never thought your life would be so…terribly dramatic. I can't express how sorry I am for what happened to your family and your friend…"

An offhanded wave of his hand silenced the rest of her apology. "It's all in the past now. I don't worry about it and neither should you."

"Oh, alright then," she responded quietly, caught a little off-guard by his sudden change in mood. _But, then again, this **is** Sanosuke, and he has more mood swings than a camel has fleas. _

"What about you? What happened to you when you went off to wherever the hell you went?" he asked, finishing the rest of his glass and focusing his attention on her. 

"Well, I'm afraid there's not much to tell compared to you," she replied, giving him a small smile. "We left Kahaktri and settled in at the palace in Toratkiha, just mother and I. A few years after we moved there, Mother became very ill and passed away shortly thereafter. When she died, I was put under the care of the royal physician, Doctor Genzai, as you know. I'm really just repeating myself, Sano. I told you all about what happened to me."

"Not entirely," he retorted, a sly smile crossing his features. "Tell me, what's the story behind that Megumi woman you brought along with you? You never told me how you met her."

She could only laugh at her friend's question, his thoughts perfectly clear on his face. "If you want to find out about Megumi, why don't you just ask her yourself?" she challenged, delighting in the way his eyes flickered with annoyance as he looked at her. "Besides, she doesn't really like it when others talk about her past without her present." 

He bristled in defeat as he settled back against the cushions to watch the slowly dying flames of the fire, only half the meaning of his friend's words understood. The two of them remained in comfortable, friendly silence as the last flame flickered once and died, leaving a thin trail of smoke curling about itself in the air. The first few fingers of light quietly invaded the room, shooing away the shifting shadows that encroached upon the pair. 

Dawn had arrived again in the desert.


	9. Meetings Amidst Conundrum

Arigatou gozaimasu, minna-san, for all the lovely reviews! They do wonders for my productivity on this story (hint hint) ^-~ A special thanks to **Karina Kineshi, Omochi,** and **Sammy-chan** for sticking with this story and giving me all kinds of nice reviews, and to **Venusskies** for giving me the swift kick in the arse I needed. To all my other readers, here's a Kenshin: ^-^x   and a hug ::squeeze:: 

I haven't done one of these in a while, so…

**Disclaimer:**

Kenshin belongs to Kaoru.

The rooster belongs to the fox.

They all belong to Nobuhiro Watsuki.

If you sue, all you'll get are socks. 

(yes, I'm aware that was awful…) @@

Desert Rose 

By Lady Calliope

**Chapter Nine: **Meetings Amidst Conundrum

The consistent thud of his horse's hooves on the sandy terrain was the only sound that greeted him that early morning. Not quite having outlived its time, the moon still hung stubbornly low in the eastern sky as the golden sun was yawning and stretching its arms out on the western horizon. It was odd, really, to see both celestial bodies nestled amongst the vastness of the sky at the same hour, but he knew other, far stranger things had happened in this desert kingdom. 

Like emperors befriending bandits, for instance. 

He smiled as the familiar irony of it all struck him. Of course, it wasn't the first time he had realized the bizarre nature of his friendship with "Sanosuke-sama," but every time he traveled the worn path to the capital found himself laughing lightly at his destination. _I wonder what the people would think if they found out their emperor consorted with thieves…_Kenshin mused, gripping the reigns tighter as a cloud of dust was kicked up by a sudden gust of wind. 

_They would tell him to watch his purse when he played Ickbah with them, that's what,_ he decided, knowing all-too well the nature of his friends gambling habits. Sanosuke had lost a proportional sum of money at the Hitokiri camp one night not so long ago, having had too much wine to drink and not enough wit to play the dice game sensibly. It was a miracle the kingdom didn't fall into debt, but, then again, Fortune seemed to smile frequently upon the little, sandy empire. 

_Alcohol and money aside, though, Sano's turning out to be quite the emperor_, the Battousai acquiesced silently, the dunes rising and falling in front and behind him like dry waves in a sable ocean. _Must have been his sister's influence._

*          *            *

By the time he had reached the capital, the early morning hours had given way to the hustle and bustle of another day. People milled about the crowded streets, vendors shouted sugary propaganda speckled with prices at the passerbys, women carried various sized woven bowls on their heads filled with a plethora of goods, and the sights and smells of the city gave the observer a general feeling of prosperity and common commotion. This was his home, the place where he had been born and raised, and he never tired of the city's constant activity. Instead, he quite welcomed it. As he neared the edge of the crowd, however, he was forced to dismount his horse and lead it carefully through the throngs by the reigns, taking his time so as not to appear conspicuous. The scar on his cheek did very little to conceal him from curious eyes, and he was thankful that the flaps of his head-wrap managed to partly cover his cheeks. In places like this, he never wore the other flap that covered his face from the eyes down. 

The people were wary of a man with yellow eyes, not a crossed scar. 

His hand was drawn unconsciously to his marred left cheek, the rough texture of the skin at that spot in shocking contrast to the softness of that which surrounded it. He remembered the days he had received each of the marks that came together in the shape of an "x" on his face; he remembered each with more vivid detail than should be possible. And on each separate day, he had forever gained a scar and forever lost a friend. He shook his head to clear the memories, no one noticing the fleeting stain of wetness that was hastily wiped from his left cheek. 

After walking, tugging, and patiently making his way towards the heart of the thriving city, the great marble structure of the palace loomed in his view, dominating the entire vivacious scene. It was like a white, luster giant set among small, clay-colored blocks: a great child and his playthings. From here, decisions that could potentially bolster or potentially destroy the little block city were made. From here, the fate of the entire populous could be commanded. From here, he had fled five years ago, and to here he had returned not so long ago. 

Instead of heading straight for the main gate, he turned sharply to the right and followed the monstrous stone wall around the palace for what seemed like moments to him, but was actually quite a while to the casual onlooker. As he neared what could be deemed the back of the palace, there came into view a smaller version of the main gate fastened into the side of the wall. He approached this gate and passed through it easily, the single guard already quite accustomed to seeing his face about the grounds. 

Once inside, the sparse surroundings of the desert gave way to an oasis, the only one within the city. Green grass provided a cool, plush carpeting to soothe his feet from the sand's scorching heat, a welcome relief for any weary traveler. Flora and fauna of all origins, colors, and fragrances grew boundlessly throughout the gardens, some even reaching their earthy fingers up the walls and over the top to the world beyond. Occasionally, a quiet, marble fountain would come into view, it's white basin encompassing enough width for a man to easily swim four full strokes across it. He had counted seven of these grand fountains in the gardens during his previous visits, and had seen them more times than he could recall, but they never ceased to amaze him with their simple, flowing beauty. The gardens were a paradise he had treasured since childhood, and he never tired of just wandering their worn paths and enjoying the small feeling of tranquility he experienced each time he did so. 

So enraptured was he by the beauty surrounding him that he failed to detect the fast approach of a wooden object. Its presence was felt all too late as he met the ground, an angry, throbbing lump already appearing on his forehead. He fell with one undignified exclamation of surprise. 

"Oro?!"

The world went black. 

*          *            *

He awoke sometime later to the cool sensation of liquid on his skin, and a moment later his mind registered the feeling of someone dabbing his sore forehead with a wet cloth. Consciousness was slow to fully return, but as soon as his eyes were able to focus he thought he might still be sleeping. Eyes of the deepest sapphire gazed down intensely at him, seemingly pinning him to the spot where he lay with merely their presence. The blue orbs were riddled with a look of concern, and for a moment he found himself once again without breath. 

"Are you awake? Gods, I am so very, very sorry, sir; I didn't see you there!" 

Pushing himself into a sitting position, he felt his head for the lump he was sure he had received from the blow. It was there, most definitely, the dull pain becoming an added, steady part of his conscious state for what would most likely be a few days. His gaze turned to meet the anxious voice of his "attacker," surprise flooding his mind instantly: a woman. Of course, somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew that those eyes and voice could only belong to a woman, but being knocked out has a tendency to affect the normally logical parts of the brain, thus his sudden state of shock. But it wasn't only the fact that she was a woman, it was the fact that she was a woman with a wooden practice sword. _That_ was what truly had caused him to react so astonished. As soon as he recovered from his initial shock, however, a feeling of admiration and respect quickly replaced the look on his face.

This woman was different.

"I don't think moving around would be a good thing to do right now. You should stay still until the household physician arrives," she warned, her cerulean focus drawn to the tender, pinkish knot on his head. 

He found himself smiling for no apparent reason at all.

"No, really, I'm alright," he assured her, standing up and offering a hand to help her do the same. 

"Are you sure?" she queried, her eyes flickering with the slightest hint of doubt. She took his hand and stood up as well. At full height, she came about to the man's chin. 

He reassured her with his smile. "Yes, but thank you for your concern. You have a pretty strong stroke."

She felt a small glimmer of resent at the words '_pretty_ strong.' "Well, I _have_ been studying swordsmanship since I was little," she replied, a little indignant. Who was this guy, anyway?

The trace of anger did not pass by him unnoticed. "Ah, sorry if I offended you, miss. If it makes you feel any better, you're the first person that's knocked me out in quite some time," he hastened, eager to appease her but not entirely sure why. 

Relief flooded through him when she smiled. "Don't worry about it. Come, let's get you checked out by Megumi."

Apparently, it did not strike her odd at all that she was inviting a complete stranger inside the royal family's home. All that mattered was his health. Again, he found himself smiling for absolutely no reason at all as she lead him through the halls and passageways that he had known intricately since childhood. He didn't have the heart to tell her he knew where he was going.

As they rounded the last corner to the medicinal room, a certain spiky-haired emperor was making his way down the same hall. Said emperor was, at first, taken very much aback at the sight of the two before him, but he followed his surprise immediately with a wide grin.

"Well, I see you two have already met. This makes things a little easier," he informed them, walking up to the pair. At the confused look in both his friends' gazes, he guessed what was amiss with his statement and shook his head, his smile only broadening. 

"Kamiya Kaoru, meet Himura Kenshin."

*          *            *

She did a double take. 

"You're having a _what_?!" 

The three of them were standing in the medicinal room some time after the encounter in the hall, Kaoru having insisted that at the very least some soothing balm be applied to Kenshin's injured forehead. She was rapidly regretting her insistence on the matter as Sanosuke continued. 

"A banquet," he answered patiently for what must have been the third time. "You know, dancing, food, guests, music…A banquet."

She had never experienced a greater need to pummel him than she did at that moment. "I know what a banquet is, Sano," she replied through clenched teeth, balling her fists in an attempt to cover her embarrassment. What if Sanosuke's friend thought she was an unrefined, ignorant tomboy because of some comment like that?! _Honestly, sometimes he has no tact whatsoever! _she screamed silently. "I used to live here too, you know. I'm just a little…surprised, that's all."

He chuckled softly to himself. _If you're surprised now, just wait until the banquet starts…_

"What?" she deadpanned, fixing him with her fiercest glare. "Yukishiro Sanosuke Sagara, you're doing that laugh again. Tell me exactly what's happening right now or start praying to the gods for protection, because I will personally wring your royal neck within the next five seconds if you don't."

"Well, since you asked me so nicely," he muttered, stepping away a small distance so as to clear himself from her wrath. Although Kaoru may not be able to defeat him in combat, she was skilled enough to cause him some very painful bodily harm if provoked. "The banquet is…see, since you were coming home and all, and it's been so long…"

"Sano…" she cautioned, slowly advancing towards him. 

"The banquet is in your honor," he finished quickly, glancing at her upraised fist. "You and Megumi will be recognized among the guests of honor."

She stopped dead in her tracks. "You…we…what…"

Before she had even the slightest chance to retaliate against him, the emperor hastily told her the remainder of the banquet's plans. "Don't throttle me just yet, Jou-chan, there's more. See, I know how you hate to be the center of attention and all, so you and Megumi will not be the only two guests of honor. The delegates from Nihamra will be there as well; the peace treaty between our two kingdoms will be signed that night."

She took a few moments to digest this information. Then, she smiled as she thought more and more about it. "I suppose it's not such a bad idea, as long as Megumi and I are not sticking out like sore thumbs. And to finally be at peace with Nihamra…I guess there is a brain in there, after all, baka."

Kenshin watched this little scene with a small, amused smile on his face the entire time. He had never seen his friend more at ease before, and silently he thanked Kaoru for her presence at the palace. Sanosuke had been in desperate need of a break from the strains of his royal duties lately. But the bandit leader noticed his own gaze seemed to drift towards the raven-haired girl almost unconsciously, her face and eyes capturing him with every subtle change and flicker of movement. She was beautiful, there was no doubt, but there was something that hung in the air about her, something that instantly separated her from all the other women he had met. It could almost be described as…

…innocence. 

In a way, she reminded him of one of the flowers growing in the gardens below. She was mature, but not so much that she lost all carefree attitude of childhood; she was beautiful, but still blooming; she had tasted enough of the world to know when to close herself off from it, but didn't remain distanced forever. Although she was only a few years younger than himself, she was both naïve yet more worldly than he could ever hope to be. 

She was a mystery, and one that greatly intrigued him.

"Hey, Kenshin," Sanosuke called as his friend made his way to the doorway. "I can expect to see you there at the banquet, right? It's in a fortnight."

The redhead hadn't even been aware that he had been walking towards the door until then. "Yes, I'll be there, Sano," he smiled, pausing to look back at the emperor. His gaze then focused on the young woman beside Sanosuke. "It was a pleasure to meet you. Miss Kaoru," he murmured softly, politely nodding his head in farewell. He swept through the arch and was gone. 

As soon as he had left, Kaoru turned to her friend. "So that was Himura Kenshin…I would like to know more about him; he seems very interesting," she told the sovereign, trying her best to combat the blush on her face that rose with the memory of his eyes on her. Her gaze kept darting back to the hallway. 

" 'Interesting'?" Sanosuke drawled, the doubt evident in his placid tone. "Jou-chan, after knowing you for most of your life, I think I am quite qualified to say that someone has a little crush on a certain redhead…"

She punched him. "I do _not_ have feelings for that guy, baka! We just met!" 

Nevertheless, the emperor smiled as he rubbed his jaw. "We'll save it for dinner conversation, then."

His friend proceeded to blush a new shade of scarlet.

*              *               *

"Have all the arrangements been made, Shishio?"

"Yes, my lord, all is ready. The Nihamran delegates and their prince will be in attendance at the banquet," replied a gruff voice. 

"Good," rejoined the first voice. A cold laugh echoed throughout the dark room. "How ironic that a night meant to be the beginning of peace will be the start of a war. The emperor's reign will soon be coming to an end; all we have to do is bide our time."

"And the woman?"

"She may be of some use to us yet…"

The icy voice was smiling. 


	10. Dreams of Rain

Sorry for the delay. But patience is a virtue, especially in the world of fanfiction. Maybe this story will actually start sparking interest and I might get a few reviews. Who knows, though, right? ^-^x 

This chapter is dedicated to **Karina Kineshi**. Thank you for all of your enthusiastic support!

Comments: Lady_Tsunami@hotmail.com          

Disclaimer: You know the drill. I own no part of _Rurouni Kenshin_; the amazing Nobuhiro Watsuki does, so don't sue. Fanfiction: the illegal pastime enjoyed by millions, and more popular and prolific than Columbian drugs.

Desert Rose 

By Lady Calliope

**Chapter 10**: Dreams of Rain

She was in heaven. 

That was the only way to describe how she felt at that moment, surrounded on all sides by a cool darkness tainted with moisture, the cushy grass under her feet and her eyes to the stars. Daytime might've been vivacious and bright, but nighttime was enchanting and seductive. Although she loved the busy and eclectic world of the city by day, it was oppressively hot and stifling and constricting. Night, however, was rich and lush and breezy, not to mention shrouded in mystery.

Just like herself. 

She smiled as she once again recalled Kaoru's favorite phrase to describe her: beautiful, smart, and riddled with more secrets than the catacombs of ancient Temphiki. _Well, I may not have hundreds of scrolls written about me, but I'm sure I could easily compose a few dozen, _she mused as she sat lightly upon the edge of a white marble fountain. It was a full moon that night, and the soft light seemed to illuminate the entire gardens with an ethereal glow. Her reflection hid the white circle of the moon in the water's face. 

Somewhere, a lonely insect began to pluck a melancholy tune on its legs, and, pretty soon, the sounds of dozens of similar songs filled the once quiet night air. Closing her eyes, she let herself be absorbed in the smells, sounds, and feeling of the darkness on her skin and all around her. It was divine, to put it lightly. Within the first week of her visit, she had found that, despite whatever kind of mayhem life was currently throwing her way, she could always find peace and solstice after sundown. The night had always welcomed her with open arms, just like…him…

A lonely tear slipped down her pale cheek, losing itself in the water below. 

_Damnit, Megumi, don't cry. Especially not over him_, she ordered herself.

_She's right, you know. Just because he was the most perfect man you've ever met…_another silent voice chimed in.

_He was not perfect! What good is perfection, anyway?_

_They bait you, hook you, reel you in, and leave you. Repetition is so boring…_

_ I thought he was different. And then…I hope I never have to lay eyes on him again._

_You miss him. Admit it. You can't lie to us; you can't lie to yourself. _

The tears came unbidden now. 

Even now, after all these years, you still cry for him…what gives you the right? I learned my lesson back then. That's why I try so hard…not to love or be loved… 

Suddenly, the night was no longer the blissful mother it had always been. It was a cruel tormentor, one that seemed to delight in making her remember all her past mistakes. No, not mistakes, but…fatal wounds. And even with all of her doctoring skills, she couldn't help anyone with something like this, least of all herself. She began to cry uncontrollably.

Then, she found herself encircled by a pair of strong, warm arms. She didn't even know that someone had been watching her.

They were oddly familiar arms.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*- 

"So how do you like that? I ask her if she could give me an exam, just a normal exam, you know, and what does she do? She tells me to remove my clothes and then she locks me out of the room! In the middle of the damned hallway! I mean, the nerve…"

Kenshin just sighed. His friend had been going on in the same fashion for about ten minutes now, and if he didn't know any better…

"Sano."

"…and to think she could just…," he stopped, turning. "Yeah?"

"Shut up, get over it, and admit you like her." 

Sanosuke simply stared, wide-eyed and open-mouthed. The Battousai had just silenced him, ordered him, and humiliated all in the same sentence. He laughed outright. _What has come over him lately, I wonder…?_

"Kenshin…I…you just…wow."

The emperor wasn't the only one who was surprised by this sudden outburst. Kenshin himself was beginning to doubt if he'd even said anything at all. After all, he was the legendary Battousai, leader of the infamous Hitokiris and best swordsman in the land, with temper and patience enough to rival that of a newlywed mother of two. And he had just offered the ruling sovereign, friend or not, love advice. Love advice! The world must be ending before his eyes. 

"Gomen, Sano," he quickly amended. "It's just, well, it's obvious you like the woman, so why not act on it?"

"Because I don't!" the emperor retorted, a small blush spreading across his face. "She's disrespectful, spiteful, has an bad temper…"

"You're acting like a five-year old, you know."

Sanosuke was stunned into silence for the second time in three minutes. 

"Look," Kenshin sighed, his voice a little quieter, "the banquet is coming up soon, right? Why don't you just ask her to accompany you?"

"Kenshin, I…I can't," he answered, shaking his head. "I don't even know the first thing about her. How could I possibly…"

"Then _get_ to know her. You've got ample time between now and then." 

There was no winning with the Battousai. Smiling in defeat, the sovereign nodded his head. "Yes, yes I do, don't I?"

The bandit smiled, slightly nodding his head. He turned to leave; it was well past sun down, and the camp wasn't going to run itself. 

"Oh, and Kenshin?"

He stopped at the door, waiting for his friend to catch up to him.

"You also have a few weeks to get to know Jou-chan. And that's an order."

Kenshin didn't have time to reply before the spiky-haired ruler had run down the hallway and disappeared around a corner.

"Yes, yes I do."

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

After the shock had worn off, Megumi gave in and lost herself in those arms, seeking the comfort she had desired for all those long years. She felt warm, safe, and excited all at the same time, though she had no idea why. She couldn't remember the last time she allowed a man to touch her like this. It had been so hard…The tears continued to fall of their own accord.    

Minutes passed in what seemed like hours before the soothing silence was broken. "Are you all right, Megumi-san?" 

His voice was filled with concern…for her?

"Please, call me Megumi," she replied softly. 

"And you can call me Sanosuke, Megumi," he smiled into her hair. 

His closeness, his breath on her skin…she couldn't take it. She wouldn't let it happen. Again. 

"What, no Rooster-Head?" she retorted playfully, gently pulling out of his embrace as she did so. She turned to face him. And stopped breathing. 

In the pale light of the full moon, his formerly handsome features were enhanced ten-fold. His features were more defined, highlighted by the moonlight streaming down from above, and his eyes were dark and sensuous, twinkling with that ubiquitous undertone of mischief. He wore only his white, loose fitting pants and a light, white jacket: an outfit designed for combat training, no doubt. She couldn't keep her eyes from appreciating his well-toned, muscular body. She quickly looked away as she realized she was staring. 

He smiled quietly, amused by her obviously wandering eyes. So she didn't think he was a complete idiot after all. 

"No, name-calling's not nice," he rejoined, the small smile still present. Then, his countenance became serious as she turned, revealing her tear-stained face to him. "What were you crying about?"

Inwardly, she froze. But outside, she somehow managed to keep her composure. "Don't worry about it. It was nothing. Really," she answered, her voice cool and calm. 

He didn't buy a word of it. "It must have been a pretty big nothing to make you cry like that. Are you sure you don't want to tell me? I'm a good listener," he assured her. 

"No, really, you don't need to trouble yourself with…"

"I want to listen," he interrupted gently, his gaze holding hers. 

"I…all right," she replied softly, her eyes a mixture of defeat, tears, and thankfulness. For some unknown, slightly frightening reason, she found herself almost eager to tell him, to share this pain with him.  _What are you doing?! You've only known him for a matter of weeks!_

She couldn't stop the words from coming. 

"I was born in a small village in a land far to the west of here called Izkaban. We were only a population of about seventy or so, but we were so happy together…I lived with my mother and father, and my two older brothers. The village people worked as a whole, everyone doing their share and benefiting equally. There were trees, rivers, grass, and sand…If I were to see heaven, I know that's what it would look like.

"Unfortunately, we weren't the only ones who appreciated our village. The emperor had had his eye on our home for quite a while; it was located at the border, just thirty miles from our neighboring county's capitol. War between our nations had been building for quite some time before then. It would be an invaluable asset to the army if they could occupy our village. Of course we said no; it was our home and land, and we were not uprooting ourselves for a bunch of soldiers. My father, who was the village head, refused the emperor's offer. 

"So they attacked. 

"Everything was destroyed, along with everyone. All of our homes were burnt to the ground, and the families were locked inside by the soldiers and burned as well. I can still hear their screams in my nightmares…

"My father spared me. That day, he had sent me out to the nearest village on some errand or another. I think he knew what was going to happen. My brothers must have known as well, because they refused to leave and insisted to stay behind. They always were bull-headed like that. By the time I returned, it was too late. The huts were already burning and there was nothing I could do to stop it. My house must have been the first one set aflame, because it was already a pile of smoldering cinders and bones when I got there.

"I set out into the desert, wandering aimlessly for days on end. Sometime during that span of time, my seventeenth birthday passed. I couldn't remember the date anymore; it didn't seem important. Eventually, I began to think the world must have been made of nothing but sand and sun and death. My feet moved almost of their own accord; I never stopped walking. I finally came across a small city, but I had gone for too many days without food or water or shelter. I collapsed just a few miles from the city gates.

"The next thing I remember, I awoke to the smell of something delicious. I couldn't remember the last time I had smelled an aroma like that. But after my senses came back, I screamed. I wasn't in my home, wasn't in any place familiar to me at all. A young man came running into the room, pulling back the translucent drapes around the bed. He whispered to me, assured me he hadn't and wouldn't hurt me, and would I like some dinner? Of course, I was too hungry to say no. 

"His name was Mamoru. He had found me a few hours after I had passed out, and brought me to his home. It was then I learned just how far my wanderings had brought me: I was in Pihara, the capitol of the land to the northeast. Mamoru took me, and nursed me until I had recovered my strength and health. Then, he began taking me on tours of the city, showing me important places like the market and the palace. He also began teaching me the basics of medicinal healing, and that lead me to realize my life's pursuit: I wanted to become a physician. His word was law to me, and he promised he would get me the proper training to fulfill my dream. He was so kind and handsome and never asked me about what had happened prior to the day he found me. I only thought he was trying to be polite…

"Eventually, the inevitable happened: we fell in love. I won't go into detail on that part. However, as soon as we became serious about our future, things began to change. Not long after he proposed to me, I discovered he had an entire other life besides the one he had been living with me for the past year. He was a drug trafficker, the biggest in the city. He asked me to start manufacturing drugs for him, opium to be exact; he said it would be good practice for my skills and he was only doing it for the extra money to support us. Being the fool I was, I believed him. I believed he loved me, and would never lie to me. Gods, I was so blind!

"We lived like that for months: I would make the opium, he would dispense it to his distributors, and he would collect the profit. It was a tolerable life, until the night I realized how much this meant to him and how little I did. I finally went to him and begged him to let me stop; I had discovered that the kind of opium I was making was the sort that kills without warning. He refused, and I pleaded harder, threatening to leave him. He beat me. After that, my eyes were opened for the first time. All along, he had never really cared for me; he had been planning to use me from the start. So I ran. 

"I ended up at a small house in front of the palace, and curled up into a tight ball on the doorstep. I stayed like that until the next morning, when a kindly old man opened the door and found me. Immediately, I ran from him; my trust in the kindness of strangers was shattered. But every day I would walk by his house, and there would always be a plate of food beside the door every morning and evening. After a few days of this, I finished one of the evening meals and then knocked on his door. He let me in, and we talked for several hours. I learned his name was Dr.Genzai, and he was the royal family's physician. When I heard that, I immediately told him of my dream of becoming a physician as well. After that, he took me in and let me stay at his house, and eventually he began taking me up to the palace with him. As for what happened after that, well, Kaoru can tell you."

As she had been telling her story, the tears had begun to come again, and soon she was sobbing uncontrollably. Sanosuke once again wrapped his arms around her, stroking her hair and urging her to continue. He knew she needed this more than anything he could give her at that point. After she had finished, he softly questioned, "Why were you crying again tonight, Megumi?"

She wiped her face with her sleeve, the material darkening with the salted water. "Sometimes, I remember…my family, my life, him…and I can't do anything but cry until I'm too tired to cry anymore," she replied hoarsely, her throat dry and sore.

"You've never told anyone before, have you?" he muttered gently, more a statement than a question. 

She shook her head. "Not even Kaoru knows the whole story."

His gaze turned to the moon above, which was making its way towards the western horizon. Streaks of gray could be seen far to the east. After a few moments, his eyes sought hers once more. "Megumi, I want you to promise me something. Promise me that, whenever you're crying or troubled or anything, you'll come to me?"

She closed her eyes, feeling as if a great weight had been lifted from her heart. "I promise, Sano."

And the two remained there until the sky began to grow light, drawing protection, comfort, and composure from one another. Finally, they rose quietly and returned to their separate rooms, each feeling inexplicably lighter and warmer than either had ever been. 

Each feeling inexplicably loved. 


	11. Secrets and Conspiracies

And the plot thickens. A little. This is definitely turning into a trilogy, and this is the end of the first book. But time reveals all, ne?

_Comments_: Lady_Tsunami@hotmail.com

_Disclaimer_: If you really want one, go read the one from Chapter 10. Nothing's changed since then, I promise ^-~

Desert Rose  
By Lady Calliope 

**Chapter 11: **Secrets and Conspiracies

Something was wrong. 

She had noticed it when she had first entered the dining hall and taken one look at the room's two other occupants. At first, she couldn't really put her finger on what it was that urged her to take a second look. Then, it hit her like a sand storm. No yelling. No fighting. No flirting. No violence. The over-sexed emperor and fiery doctor were acting…civilized. 

Something was _very_ wrong.

Deciding that silence was wise in situations such as this, Kaoru didn't say a word about her suspicions during breakfast. After a while, and to her embarrassed pleasure, Kenshin entered the dining hall and took the empty seat next to her and across from the others. Yahiko was the only one missing, and Kaoru smiled at the thought of a meal without him. However, his presence would most certainly have alleviated some of the awkwardness in the dry air…

After their dishes had been cleared, she took action. Dragging her friend away from the others, she led Megumi out into the high-arched hallway. "What's wrong? Are you okay, Kaoru-chan?" the doctor whispered, sensing her friend's anxiety. 

"Um…Megumi, did something…happen…between you and Sano last night?" she muttered, thoroughly embarrassed at the situation now that she had time to think her suspicions through. 

Megumi raised an eyebrow, her interest piqued. "Why do you ask that, Kaoru?" she countered, her tone conveying her amusement. 

"Well…it's just that…you guys weren't acting…normal at breakfast and…"

"Oh? So now I'm not allowed to be civilized nor am I allowed to consort with the emperor?" She was enjoying this all too much. 

"No, no! I was…just wondering, that's all," Kaoru admitted sheepishly, blushing at her the implications of her statements.

A slight chuckle escaped her friend's lips. "I suppose I would have been suspicious myself if I were in your place," she smiled. "But last night…let's just say that my dislike of him has decreased dramatically."

"But, just yesterday you were telling me how much you hated him and how he's so much worse than every other man…" the petite warrior began, confused. 

"My point exactly."

With that, Megumi turned and walked towards her room, that mischievous smile never faltering. By the time the dark-haired girl caught up with her friend, they were nearly to their quarters, and the doctor adamantly refused to disclose or discuss more of the details concerning her encounter with the emperor the previous night. 

Kaoru had never been so bewildered. Megumi had never had so much fun. 

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

Well, it was now or never. 

"Hey, Sano. Can I ask you something?" Kenshin questioned casually as he gathered all of the dishes on the table. Despite the fact that he was in a palace, he always insisted on helping with the dishes. Sanosuke figured it had something to do with living in a camp with forty other men. 

"Sure," the emperor replied, then grinned impishly. "As long as it has nothing to do with Megumi."

An empty chalice clattered to the floor, the echo resounding throughout the dining hall. Kenshin scrambled to pick up the goblet he had knocked over. 

Sanosuke had had a hunch his friend's silence during the meal had something to do with the female doctor. Then again, that could be giving the bandit too much credit. The sovereign chuckled. For all his skills as a swordsman, Kenshin really fell short when it came to women. He could slice and dice with the best of the best, but put a woman in the picture and…

Recollections of his friend's slightly reddened face in Kaoru's presence came to mind, and Sanosuke began smiling anew. 

He stopped laughing, however, when another thought entered his mind. Kaoru had been pretty quiet as well during breakfast, and the halls were empty now…

"What makes you think my question has anything to do with Megumi, Sano?" Kenshin quipped, trying to mask the fact that his friend had read him like a scroll.

Sanosuke just hoped Megumi's inquisition was going as pleasantly as his. 

"If your question has nothing to do with her, then you won't have any problem asking it, now will you?" the emperor continued.

"Sano…"

"Because I know you have enough sense to realize that there is nothing going on between the two of us." _Gods, look at him blush!_

Kenshin threw his hands up in defeat. There was no point in being subtle about anything now. "I just wanted to know what happened last night when you went to speak with her. And," he began, effectively silencing the sovereigns counterpoint, "don't tell me nothing happened. You're behavior at breakfast this morning proved otherwise."

Well, Battousai sure did know how to ruin a good time.

"Yeah, yeah, alright," Sanosuke acquiesced. "But only because you could beat me real bad."

The redhead smiled at the comment, despite its fallacy. Finally, he was going to get some answers. 

"Truth is, when I went out into the garden to find her, we started out talking. But then, these sparks that just went off between us and before I knew it…well, we were making passionate love like newlyweds on the ground in front of the rhododendrons."

Kenshin fell over with a shocked cry of "Oro!" 

Sanosuke smiled devilishly. 

Yes, he hoped Megumi was having as much fun as he was. Yes, indeed.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

The time was drawing near. 

In less than a fortnight, all that Emperor Hiko and his delinquent son had strove to build would come tumbling down in one swift blow. War, rebellion, unrest, grief, death…he smiled viciously at the thought of such abundant opportunity. 

"My lord."

His attention snapped to the man in front of him. Kneeling before him was his most faithful follower and fellow conspirator. The assassin's bandages were frayed and yellowed, giving him the appearance of a walking dead. Which he very nearly was, of course. 

"All the final preparations are complete. We have acquired the necessary men and weapons, and secured the room you requested. It will be empty when we need it," Shishio reported, head bowed and right arm held across his chest.  

"Good. You have done well, Shishio. And you will be rewarded for your efforts as promised," he replied, his eyes glinting madly. 

"Thank you, my lord. The way I've arranged everything, she'll never know what hit her."

"Neither will he."

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

Sweat dripped from her forehead, stinging her eyes with that kind of momentary pain that only seems to heighten the senses. Her neck and hair were soaked, but she didn't care in the least. All she cared about at that moment was her form. Blue eyes focused, mouth tight and thin, she began the movements for the seventh time in an hour. Practice makes perfect. 

This was the most complicated of all the forms she knew, and she had never been able to perfectly execute it more than twenty times in a row. However, she knew if she wanted to defeat stronger opponents and improve her skill, she would have to practice until she could successfully complete twenty-five repetitions without faltering once. Wooden practice sword in hand, she closed her eyes and leapt into action. 

She never noticed that, all the while she was practicing, someone was watching her from the archway leading to the gardens from inside the palace. A small smile took up residence on his face as he watched her practice her form, his violet eyes shining in both amusement and deep respect. He knew, better than anyone, the sweat, blood, and dedication it took to become the best one can possibly become, and then some. As he continued his observations, unconsciously calculating her every move, his first impression of this young woman was re-confirmed. She was very different from any other woman he had ever met. 

Perhaps that's why he felt so drawn to her day after day. She was the inescapable, quiet tenant of his mind: never leaving his thoughts but never dominating them either. 

Ever since Sanosuke had announced the banquet, Kenshin had been noticing a peculiar feeling in the pit of his stomach. For days he had tried to put a name to this phantom and determine what was causing this tightening in his gut, but he had been rewarded with only partial success. This feeling…it was like a type of anxious, compulsive fear, similar to the feeling he got when he knew he was about to let a great chance pass him by for some reason or another. He had finally been able to describe this feeling, but as for the cause of it…

His mind drifted back to a conversation he had had with the emperor when this feeling had first surfaced. Sanosuke had immediately provided an explanation for the redhead's emotional disorder, and now, as he stood there watching the petite young woman practice, Kenshin began to think his friend might have been right all along.

_"Let me spell it out for you: K-A-O-R-U."_

It didn't seem so implausible now. 

There was only one problem with these newfound feelings he was developing: he still didn't know that much about her. In the few weeks she had been in the capitol, there had only been a handful of times when the two of them could speak alone. And even during those times, his usual embarrassment and bumbling produced little fruit in the relationship. _But, after living with guys for all of your life, what else do you expect to happen when a woman is concerned?!_ he reasoned to himself. 

A small exclamation of joy brought his attention back to the woman across the garden. He smiled, his happiness for her too much to resist. She had completed twenty-five repetitions of the form. After her short verbal celebration, she walked to the nearest fountain and gingerly sat on its edge, dipping her hands in the cool water and refreshing her lightly burned, sweaty face. For some reason, water always seemed crisper, more invigorating after a successful, hard practice. She loved this feeling. 

All had grown quiet in the fertile gardens; the soft churning of the water had replaced the grunts and yells she had been issuing before. And there she sat, eyes closed, face turned up to the warm sun above: the young deity of the desert. 

She sat like that in blissful splendor for quite some time before she noticed the sound of quiet footfalls approaching her from behind. Somehow, though, she had sensed his presence all along. She slowly opened her eyes, and the friendly smile she wore perfectly masked the frantic pace her heart began beating at the sight of him.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

What was he doing?! How had he let his mind wander so far as to allow his feet to carry him right in front of her? When she smiled that innocent smile of hers, all coherent thought proceeded to turn to mush in his mind. _Well,_ he reasoned, _it could be worse. I could have forgotten my own name. _

"Good afternoon, Kenshin! What brings you out to this part of the palace?" she ventured at conversation, noting how his eyes were continually darting this way and that. He seemed on edge about something. 

_Great. It just got worse._ "Me? Well, I was, um…just looking for a place to practice for a while. I needed to get out," he replied hastily. At least his excuse sounded plausible; this was good. 

"What's bothering you so much that you needed a break?" she questioned, motioning for him to sit beside her. They rarely got a chance to speak like this, and she wasn't wasting it no matter how nervous she may have felt. 

"It's nothing anymore," he answered. He contemplated telling her about his suspicions of Sanosuke and Megumi's behavior earlier that morning, but decided against it. If Kaoru hadn't said anything about it at breakfast, then maybe it was just his imagination after all. Although, he had been quite embarrassed at the emperor's fantastical, detailed stories of what had happened between himself and the female doctor. He hadn't needed to know _exactly_ what went through his friend's mind when it came to women…

Sensing he didn't want her to push the issue, she let it drop. "You said before that you were looking for someone to practice with. Would you mind practicing with me? It's been a while since I could spar against an actual opponent," she offered. What better way to prove herself a mature, graceful woman than to show him her skills with the sword?

He wanted to laugh at the irony of the situation. Here she was, practically royalty, asking him, the most wanted criminal in the land, if he wanted to spar with her. However, he knew that he had to keep that side of him a secret from her; the last thing he wanted was for her to discover he was the infamous Battousai. To her, he was just Kenshin, Sanosuke's friend and frequent visitor to the palace. And that's the way things must remain, for her safety as well as his own. 

"Yes, I think that would be perfect," he responded, standing and drawing his reversed-blade sword. She followed suit and picked up a metal blade that had been lying next to her wooden practice sword, taking the proper stance directly opposite from him.  

"And don't hold back just because I'm a woman. I want a real fight," she told him, smirking a little. 

"Believe me, you'll get a fight."

And the two commenced, the clashing of metal on metal filling the gardens bound within the palace walls.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

They had been sparring for over an hour now, each one enjoying it immensely. There was one thing that was bugging Kaoru, though: her redheaded friend seemed to be holding back his full potential. She could see it in his swing and in his stance. Offended that he wasn't pitting everything he had against her, she stepped up her technique to the best she could possibly put forth. However, as the fight became more serious and the moves more advanced, Kenshin began to sense something was wrong. 

It was a feeling that started in the pit of his stomach and slowly spread to his extremities. A sense of panic began to rise in his throat as he realized what was happening. 

_Not here, not now!_

Their swords met deftly as they held, jockeying for the advantage. Suddenly, Kaoru leapt back to distance herself from him, and then prepared to run at him for the final blow. Kenshin foresaw her move even before she had landed, and knew all too well what would happen if she charged him. The feeling would overtake him completely, and he would be powerless to stop to the consequences. There was only one thing to do. 

Before she had even covered half the distance between them, he dropped his sword and fled. She snapped back to reality when she heard the dull thud of his weapon on the grass, and she looked in time to see him turn and run inside the palace. Puzzled and shocked beyond belief, it was all she could do to just stand there and watch his retreating back disappear inside the massive structure. What had she done to make him leave so suddenly? Shaking her head, she thought back upon the events of the past while and could come up with no explanation for his sudden departure. Suddenly, she recalled something in the way he had looked at her before he had turned and fled. 

For one instant, she could have sworn she saw his eyes flash amber in the early evening light. There was only one person she knew of that had such eyes. It couldn't be…

But as she looked back towards the palace once again, everything suddenly made sense: his sudden disappearances in the middle of the night, the whispers he and Sanosuke shared when they thought she couldn't hear them, why he had held back during their fight…

Kenshin was the legendary Battousai, leader of the Hitokiris. 

_Well, this complicates things a little…_


	12. Crimson Moon

[insert excuses here] All I can say is gomen, minna. And here it is: the long-overdue Chapter 12. Sorry if it seems a bit…choppy and incoherent.

On a much-appreciated side note:  Kudos for the reviews!

_Comments_: Lady_Tsunami@hotmail.com  
_Disclaimer_: As far as I know, _Rurouni Kenshin_ is no closer to being mine than all of Japan. All I claim is this story and its plot. 

**Desert Rose**  
By Lady Calliope

**Chapter Twelve:** Crimson Moon

"Kaoru, as a doctor and your friend I must remind you: if you don't remember to breathe once in a while, you'll faint in front of everyone." 

Although this suggestion was not completely ignored, it was not really taken to heart, either. The young woman in question was still gripping the balcony railing with white knuckles, and her face very nearly matched the pale shade of the full moon that dominated the desert sky. This was the night she had been anxiously anticipating for weeks now, but now that it was finally here, she wished more than anything that she was as far away from Sumaktra as possible. It wasn't the fact that she, along with Megumi, would be spotlighted as guests of honor; it wasn't the fact that she was wearing a dress that would have made an army about-face. It was the people that she was terrified of, or more specifically, one person in particular. 

She wasn't nervous about seeing Kenshin in the sense that she didn't know how he felt about her. Oh no, her anxiety stemmed from a much more complicated problem: she had not the slightest clue as to how to proceed with this man that she was so obviously taken with. She had feelings for him, that was certainly true, but it seemed that for every positive reason she imagined to pursue this relationship there was a negative to counterbalance it. Everything about him intrigued her; he possessed an air of danger and secrets, and yet she felt so safe and warm whenever he was around. She found his tendency to fumble for coherent thoughts whenever she was near him to be quite endearing. But there was still one problem that seriously caused her to falter. 

Kenshin was Battousai, the most wanted criminal in the kingdom. And outlaws do not make very good suitors for those of noble blood.

_Oh, listen to yourself, Kaoru! You sound as petty as those nitwits in the Court_, she chastised herself. It had been two weeks since the incident in the garden, and aside from the polite small talk required at meals, she and Kenshin had barely spoken to one another. Perhaps that was the cause of her trepidation; a rift had come between them that was rapidly turning into an insurmountable chasm, one that would be impossible to pass if she did not act quickly. _But then, how exactly does one go about befriending a criminal?_

"You know, you really shouldn't be so nervous, Kaoru," Megumi reassured her. "You look absolutely stunning; Kenshin would be crazy not to fall for you." 

She smiled at her friend's attempts to calm her. _If only you knew, Megumi._ "Honestly, I put on a dress and you start treating me like I'm a delicateflower or something. Besides, what makes you think I have any desire or need of that man's adoration?"

"I'm guarded, not blind, Karou. I know how you feel about him. But how do you expect to win him if you're unconscious from lack of oxygen, hm?" she quipped, smirking. 

Kaoru laughed for the first time in what seemed like ages. "You're right, I shouldn't worry about tonight. Besides, you'll be there to catch me if I do pass out." 

"Aren't I always?" 

Smiling, the two women made their final preparations and began making their way towards the dining hall. The banquet had started a good half an hour ago, but they must be fashionably late, of course. The entire trip was made in a comfortable, understanding silence. However, when the massive entrance of the hall came into view, Kaoru turned to her friend. "Megumi, can I ask you something?" 

"Certainly." 

"What do you think of Kenshin? I mean, he's a good man, right?" 

Halting her stride, the doctor sighed affectionately before addressing her. _Really, I've never known anyone so unsure of themselves_, she thought warmly. "Kaoru, listen to me, because I will only say this once." 

The young woman's gaze was rapt and attentive of her friend. 

"If there's one thing I trust you with, it is your judge of character. I've seen you find the good in the lowliest of people. You took a chance on me, a former drug dealer, didn't you? If you truly love him like I know you do, then what I think does not matter. I believe in you." 

With no further response, Megumi winked and resumed her path towards the banquet. _I guess she's…wait!_ "Hey, Megumi, who said anything about lo…!"

But the doctor had disappeared through the entrance to the dining hall. 

"Just what does she think she's insinuating?" Kaoru muttered. _Oh well, she's right, like always. Battousai or not, Kenshin is a kind and caring person, and that's all that matters to me._

Taking a deep breath, she moved to the archway and closed her eyes before the looming structure. _Here we go_. 

The guards held aside the velvety curtain, and she stepped over the threshold.  

*-*-*-*-*-*-

Things were going perfectly. The food was excellent, the music intoxicating, the drink overflowing, and all the guests accounted for. Well, all of them except for two.

_Where are those girls?! Kuso, why is it women can never be punctual when you need them to be!_ Sano cursed mentally, all the while maintaining a cool exterior and greeting his guests and fellow dignitaries. Kenshin, of course, was quickly approaching a frantic state of mind due to Kaoru's absence, and his mind was undoubtedly concocting the worst of scenarios. "Hey, Kenshin." 

"Yes, Sano?" the redhead answered, his eyes remaining on the throngs of people, constantly scanning them for one face in particular. 

"This is a banquet, not a funeral. At least try to be a little more cheerful. You'll have the Nihamran delegates thinking we've got no sense of fun," the emperor advised. 

Kenshin scowled. "I am cheerful, can't you tell?"

The sovereign sighed and shook his head. "If this is you cheerful, remind me never to be around when you're angry." 

"I'll have you know…" the bandit started, then stopped. Curious, Sanosuke followed the direction of his friend's gaze and smiled when his eyes came to rest on a pleasing sight. _She's finally arrived_. 

Kaoru spotted the two of them almost immediately and slowly made her way towards them. Suddenly, Kenshin's feet felt rooted to the spot and his mouth went dry, all thoughts fleeing his mind and leaving him in a state of awe. 

She was ethereal. 

Her dark, ebony hair was pulled back in her customary ponytail, but in place of her usual small tie was a long, silky crimson ribbon trailing freely behind her. She was wearing a two-piece outfit a shade deeper than her ribbon, the top of which revealed her shoulders and half her back but was long sleeved and came to two points on top of her wrists. The skirt portion was long with a side-slit up to the knee, revealing just enough of her legs to make the mind wonder what the rest looked like. Flowing around her was a thin piece of translucent cloth the same color as the adornment in her hair, tied around both her wrists. She wore a veil of the same material over her face, covering her nose and everything below it. 

She was the picture of a desert rose itself. 

Kenshin silently thanked the gods that Sano was there with him to greet her as he had still not recovered the power of speech just yet. 

"Well, Jou-chan, who ever would have guessed you shined up this nicely? I see you opted not to wear your practice clothes. Seriously, though, you look wonderful," he whispered as he pulled her into a brotherly embrace. 

When the two parted, her eyes turned to the redhead standing behind the emperor. "Kenshin, it's wonderful to see you. I'm so happy you could attend." The control in her voice shocked her; she was definitely not feeling as calm as she sounded. 

"K…Miss Kaoru," he fumbled, blushing slightly. Gods, he needed to pull himself together if he hoped to gain anything out of tonight! 

"Jou-chan, is Megumi here yet?" Sanosuke queried, attempting to cover for his speechless friend. When she nodded affirmatively, he announced, "Well, I'm off to find her, then," and promptly spun on his heels, heading towards the direction Kaoru had indicated. 

The raven-haired young woman could sense an awkward silence approaching. However, she'd be damned if her nerves were going to ruin her chance to make this an enjoyable evening. "Kenshin, would you like to dance?" she blurted out. She immediately regretted it; dancing was not exactly her forte and the last thing she wanted was to embarrass Kenshin! 

The bandit, however, smiled. He may not have been talented at many imperial things, but dancing was not one of his weak points. With surprising smoothness, he guided her out into the multitude of couples just as the musicians took up another song. 

Before long, all previous discomfiture had been forgotten as the two became one with the music.           

*-*-*-*-*-*-

In the shadows of the palace hallways, a small figure darted in and out of the darkness. Tonight would be a night of sweet revenge, the night she had been waiting for, for so long now…

All she had to do was bide her time. And after years of practiced patience, what were a few more hours? 

Her smile was cold and dead. 

*-*-*-*-*-*- 

Time flew by as quickly as the sands in the wind. They had been dancing for hours yet it seemed like mere minutes. Neither could remember the last time they had felt this happy or had such fun as this. The doubts she had previously been harboring regarding her mysterious partner were all quite dispelled. There was no more reservation in her heart.  

Suddenly, a tap on her shoulder interrupted their dreamlike world. Pulled back to reality, Kaoru turned to face the guard that had addressed her. "Yes?" she inquired politely. 

"Forgive my intrusion, Miss Kaoru, but the emperor desires a word with you. If you could please follow me." 

Bewildered, she turned to Kenshin. Seeing he was just as baffled as she, her eyes scanned the room to see if she could pick out her royal friend. It _had_ been a while she had last seen him…    

"I'll return shortly, Kenshin," she promised, releasing his arm and following the guard as he weaved his way through the crowd and out of the dining hall. 

As soon as she disappeared from sight through the curtained entrance, the marauder sensed something was amiss. What could be so important that Sanosuke simply had to speak with her during the banquet, at that moment? Something just wasn't right…

_I think living as an outlaw has made me overly zealous when it comes to sensing danger,_ he reasoned. _Knowing him, he's probably just checking to see how things are going so he can play matchmaker…Yes, that's it. _

But try as he might, he could not shake the sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.

*-*-*-*-*-*-

"Now, Sano, what did you want to see me…"

Kaoru jumped as the guard slammed the door behind her, locking her in. Immediately sensing danger, she took a defensive pose and remained still. The room was completely dark but for the pale moonlight streaming in from the balcony through the drawn curtains, illuminating a small area of the room. She glanced furtively about, desperately willing her eyes to adjust to the dim light. Suddenly, she heard a movement to her left and caught a flash of steel in the waning luminosity. 

Not hesitating for a second, she ducked and dove in the direction of the sound, barely able to discern the faint outline of a man in the dark. She connected only with cold stone, but as she attempted to stand something monstrously heavy was thrown on top of her, pushing her back to the ground. Something monstrously heavy…and wet. 

Heart pounding, she scarcely detected the sound of retreating footsteps and the clatter of steel as she pushed the cumbersome object off of her. Groping around for the sword she knew was nearby, she rose as her now sticky, warm hand clasped the handle, desperate to arm herself against the dead fear coursing through her body. Slowly, she made her way to the balcony archway, throwing back the curtains completely so the room was fully illuminated. 

The dead fear transfigured into panic. 

Lying on the floor where she had been laying was the body of the Nihamran prince. As she slowly began to comprehend the sight before her, she tentatively glanced at the rest of the room. Three other Nihamran delegates were lying, slaughtered, scattered about the room. Deep gashes ran across each victim's chest, blood pooling around the spots where they lay. Assassinated. It slowly dawned on her; but, if this was indeed an assassination, why was it done so messily? Unless…

She didn't have time to scream before the door was flung wide open, blinding her with light from the hallway. 

*-*-*-*-*-*-

It had been ten minutes, far too long for his comfort. Whatever Sanosuke wanted to say to her did not require this much time…

Suddenly, Kenshin caught a glimpse of a spiked head across the dining hall, and fear began to rise in his throat. _No, no, that can't be him. He's out somewhere talking with Kaoru…_

His fervent denial did him no good as he appraoched the figure. He sprinted the remaining distance to his friend. 

"Sano! Sano, why are you here?! You're not…you're supposed to be in… talking with Kaoru…!"    

Puzzled, the emperor gave him a blank look. "Kenshin, what are you raving about? I've been here the whole time. You know I never leave my guests."

_Shit!_ he cursed himself. _If Sano's here, then that means Kaoru…_

The bandit didn't even finish his thought before running through the curtains and taking off in a random direction, praying that she had followed the same course. 

Please, not again… 

*-*-*-*-*-*-

Through the brilliance, she could distinguish the faint figures of several persons standing in the doorway. Her heart was thumping wildly in her chest, panic giving way to absolute terror.

"Stop right there! Someone get the emperor!" 

She released the sword from her cold fingers, the sound of it clattering against the hard stone floor doing little to shake her from her petrified state. 

"Tell his highness that the prince and delegates have all been assassinated!" 

_No! NO!_ _It wasn't me! _She wanted to scream, but the words wouldn't come out. Covered in the blood of the victims, she began to tremble with fear as she slumped to her knees. The palace guards began advancing on her. 

It was all too perfect. 

At that moment, reason fled and instinct took over. In one swift motion, she picked up the fallen weapon and charged the guards before her, fighting for her life but being careful not to inflict any fatal wounds. She didn't need any more accusations added to her repertoire. Within minutes, five unconscious bodies fell to the ground. Not wasting a second, she threw the sword down and tore from the room, running as fast as her shaky legs could carry her. 

She hadn't gotten very far when she felt a sharp pain, a prick, at the back of her neck. Almost immediately, the shapes around her began to shift and lose their definition as her vision blurred. Stumbling, she reached a hand up to her neck and withdrew a dart of some kind from her skin. She began losing control of her body as she slowed and staggered, collapsing in a bloodstained heap. 

*-*-*-*-*-*-

Kenshin never slowed his pace as he sprinted frantically down the winding hallways of the palace. There was no telling what direction she might have gone, and the palace had far too many corridors on this floor for him to be able to search them all! Suddenly, he heard the sound of shouting guards and heavy footsteps. Halting immediately, he spun around and headed in the direction of the noise. 

He came to the spot just in time to see Kaoru run out of a side room, sprinting like she had a demon on her heels. Speeding up, he took off after her and was about to call her name when something shiny flying through the air caught his eye. Almost immediately after, Kaoru began to slow and trip until she fell to the floor, unconscious. The sound of reinforcements was not far behind. 

Cursing, he ran forward, scooped her up into his arms, and was about to flee when he noticed something small and metallic lying on the ground beside her. Grabbing the mysterious object, he cradled Kaoru to his chest and resumed his sprint. He turned left at the next corridor and made his way outside to the stables. Untying his horse, he secured one arm around her waist and used the other to haul them both onto the saddle with her unconscious body facing him, his arm securing her to his body. Pulling at the reigns, he pushed his steed as fast as it could go, clearing the palace gate before the guards could even enter the courtyard. He rode like a man possessed for a half an hour before he at last slowed to a steady gallop. Finally able to breathe again, he looked down at the woman resting against his chest. 

"It looks like you and I are now equal in the eyes of the law," he whispered sadly, staring at her closed eyes. "But I won't let them do to you what they've done to me."

"I'll protect you with my life, Kaoru. I swear it."

*-*-*-*-*-*-

tbc… 

   


	13. Flight Into Peril

Contrary to popular belief, I have not given up on this story. School, work, and God are taking up most of my time, but I will try to update as soon as possible. Gomen, minna-san, and domo arigatou gozaimasu for your patience, de gozaru!  
_Comments: _Lady_Tsunami@hotmail.com  
_Disclaimer:_ I own Rurouni Kenshin DVDs, a Kenshin figure, and playing cards, not the series. However, this story and its plot are mine.  
_To the reviewers: _I cannot thank you guys enough for pestering/encouraging me. It makes me feel all warm inside. ^_^  
_A/N_: Because ff.net hates italics…  
//….// denotes thoughts

**Desert Rose**  
By Lady Calliope

**Chapter 13:** Flight Into Peril

"What's happened?" 

"Someone's been murdered!"

"The Prince of Nihamra is dead!"

"Assassins? In Sumaktra? Has our kingdom fallen into darkness so soon…?" 

"It was a group of rebels!"

"I heard someone saw a woman running out of the room, blood all over her…"

Sanosuke ran through the sea of inane babble and gossip, desperate to find his friends. And, despite the emperor's adamant objections, Megumi was on his heels. Finally reaching the edge of the crowded room, they burst through the exit only to be confronted by some of the palace guards. They bade him to follow, and quickly lead the two of them through many corridors and around several turns. At last, they reached the room where the assassination had taken place. The thick stench of blood satiated the air. 

Five guards were standing in the room, groggily rubbing their heads and backs as if they had been subject to an awful beating within the past ten minutes. Sanosuke approached the nearest one. "Tell me what happened here! Who killed the Prince and his advisors?"

A long pause followed in the wake of his demand. The guard knew that what his eyes had seen was more than likely to be met with a great deal of doubt by the emperor. Again, Sanosuke enjoined him to answer his questions. Sighing with the weight of one defeated, the guard returned his sovereign's steady gaze. "It was Miss Kamiya, Highness. She killed them and, when we came upon her, she attacked us and fled."

At first, the guard thought that his words had not been understood, and so he prepared to relate the story once more. However, he quickly noticed Sanosuke's trembling fist and glanced at his contorted face.

The emperor was enraged. 

"How dare you accuse a woman of her stature. She is one of my most trusted friends, and as such I know she is not capable of this kind of…of treachery!" 

"Highness…" 

"Stop covering for your inadequacies and tell me the truth!"

Megumi's eyes fretfully darted between each of the men before her. She herself would not, could not believe Kaoru had committed such a crime, but the guard held no reserve in his face. It was obvious that he was convinced of Kaoru's guilt in the matter, but it simply was not true! Her friend was a sweet, kind-hearted person who had never before killed anyone in cold blood; Kaoru appalled the very idea! And yet the guard was so certain…

"Your Highness, I am not trying to cheat you. Miss Kamiya is very respected amongst the palace guards, but my eyes have never deceived me before. If you will, ask my comrades for their accounts. You will see I hold to no unjust accusation."

"But Kaoru would not do something like this! She's not a killer!"

"Sano…" Megumi whispered. She was bent down on the floor near the prince's body, clutching something in her hands. There were tears shining in her eyes as she held it up in the moonlight for everyone to see.

It was a translucent veil, specked with blood.

Sanosuke's eyes widened in shock as he recognized the cloth as the same type that Kaoru had been wearing that night. He immediately fell silent, concentrating on something that no one else could see. He stood perfectly still. 

"Highness, we tried to stop her, but she wouldn't…"

"Have you sent any men after her?"

The guard was taken aback. After a few moments, though, he shook his head. "We tried to follow her, but Mister Himura found her first. We could not catch him without…"

"Good. Do not make any attempt to find them until I give the order."

With that, Sanosuke turned and left the room, leaving the guard speechless. Megumi was still holding her friend's veil in her quivering hand. She made no effort to hide her tears. 

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- 

A thin strip of gray began illuminating the eastern horizon, scattering the cold darkness of the night sky. Sand swirled and flew all around them as he rode, pushing his steed as hard as he could without completely exhausting the animal. They had been riding for a few hours now, but Kenshin did not want to take any chances. He wanted to put as much distance between them and Sumaktra as quickly as he could. The guards could not be allowed to discover the location to which he was fleeing.

He glanced down at the young woman pressed against his chest. Despite the smatterings of blood on her dress and face, she was still the most radiant person he had ever seen. Her hair whipped about her face as they sped on, but her eyes remained closed. A sense of worry had been growing in Kenshin's stomach for the past hour. It was obvious that she had been hit with some kind of poison, but he knew of very few tranquilizers whose effect was this great. And if she had been hit with something more lethal, then each second was all the more precious.

Suddenly, her breathing began to quicken and her face contorted in pain. She began to whimper, sweat beading on her forehead.

With his doubts confirmed and escalated to outright fear, Kenshin urged the horse on even faster. They only had an hour's worth of travel left, but it seemed her condition was worsening by the minute …  

He had to get to the camp, to the medicine they kept. He had to save her; he was her protector.

"Don't die on me, Kaoru, please…"

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

Saitoh stared down at the man before him, his impatience and frustration nearly palpable. The evening had been almost enjoyable until the guests began screaming about an assassin in the palace. Falling quickly into the mindset of the General of the Kahaktrian Army, he had questioned every one of the palace guards. Yet, he had not heard two accounts of the night's events that agreed with one another. The only part of the story he could gather to be true was what had transpired inside the room. 

The guards had heard commotion from within the room as they made their nightly rounds, and so, in accordance with proper procedure, investigated. It had taken three men to force open the locked door, and what they found inside had shocked them all. Kaoru had been standing in the middle of the room, covered in blood, holding a sword that was gleaming crimson in the moonlight. The bodies of the Nihamran prince and his delegates were scattered about the room, soaking in pools of their own blood. She had fought and defeated them, and fled. 

That much was true. However, Saitoh felt that several things were out of place. He continued piercing the guard in front of him with his cold gaze. "So you believe," he questioned pointedly, "that Miss Kamiya assassinated the prince and all his delegates?" 

Saitoh had a way of making the guard's judgment sound like a child's logic. The guard swallowed slowly, petrified by the hard look in the General's eyes. "Y…yes, sir," he replied, stumbling as he licked his dry lips. 

"And what makes you so sure?" 

Again he was subjected to Saitoh's demeaning gaze. "No other living person was in the room, and she had the murder weapon in her hands. She was also covered in the victims' blood, and fled when we discovered her, sir."

Several other guards nodded their heads in affirmation. A long silence followed those last words. Saitoh narrowed his eyes at the man who had spoken, but turned away a few moments later. The guard's muscles relaxed at once and he closed his eyes in relief, finally free of that penetrating gaze. However, he immediately snapped his eyes open, catching the one word uttered by the General as he turned away.

"Idiot."

Saitoh stared at the inky blackness beyond the threshold of the room. Pale moonlight filtered in through the translucent curtains of the arched balcony entrance, casting slivers and washes of light amongst the still corpses. An eerie dance of ghost like figures seemed to haunt the dead men. It seemed as if the General had no more to say on the matter, until he suddenly whipped his head around and fixed the guards with a mocking glare. "Have any of you ever dealt with an assassin before?"

Slowly, all the men shook their heads in denial. 

"Let me educate you then, as one who has witnessed the work of many assassins. First, I can tell you, this was no regular assassination, if you could call it that. When one goes about killing government officials and dignitaries, one does not leave a mess behind. The object of assassination is to kill with precision and effectiveness. Obviously, this particular case involved either an amateur or someone who deliberately wanted to spill as much blood as possible. I believe it was the latter. 

"Furthermore, true assassins are trained well in the art of invisibility. They do not want to be seen, and they leave nothing behind that could incriminate. You say you found Miss Kamiya standing amongst the bodies, covered in blood? A true assassin does not waste a moment after his task is complete; he vanishes with the last fallen body. And you found her veil, you say? No assassin would make such a careless mistake. And they especially do not waste time on meaningless battles with palace guards.

"Therefore, I have no confidence in your assessment. Miss Kamiya obviously played some role in this, but she did not draw blood tonight."

The guards hung their heads, refusing to meet Saitoh's smug gaze of satisfaction. He had methodically analyzed and reasoned through everything in a matter of minutes what they had been unable to see for hours. 

Although he had discerned part of the mystery, something still tugged at the back of Saitoh's mind. The other guards that had come running after hearing the battle inside the room said that they had seen Kaoru flee, with Kenshin joining in behind her. Some said she fell and hit her head, and the redhead had picked her up and continued running. Others said they saw a glint of something metallic in the air, and shortly after Kaoru began to stumble and finally fell. Then Kenshin gathered her up and resumed his sprint out to the stables, where the two escaped on horseback. 

It was the second account that kept pulling at Saitoh. It reminded him of someone all too familiar and vengeful.

He quickly made his way to the hallway where the chase had begun, and deftly examined the area. There were bloodstains on the stone floor marking the places where Kaoru had staggered and fallen, but nothing beyond that. Saitoh turned around and began re-examining the part of the hallway from whence he came. After contemplating Kaoru's last, stumbling steps and taking her stride into account, a new train of reasoning began to unfurl itself. If something had attacked her from the shadows, its presence went unnoticed by both Kaoru and Himura. It could also move very quickly, proven by the fact that none of the guards or himself had seen it. So, whatever attacked her was well trained in the art of invisibility and the shadow world. He began searching around the many tall, marble pillars that lined the passage, and smiled grimly when his efforts were duly rewarded. 

He fingered the single silver dart, careful to avoid its sharp, and most likely poisoned, point. 

// I see Misao is just as clumsy as she ever was. Apparently, not even years of hatred can change some things…//

Pocketing the weapon, he slowly stood, solemnly facing the door that lead out into the courtyard at the end of the hall. The time had finally come; there was no longer room for indecision and hesitation.

// Aoshi, you must go to them now. You cannot play this game any longer.//

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

"Mm..mhm…"

Kaoru groaned as her eyes slowly fluttered open. Her body felt like solid lead, and her neck screamed in protest when she tried to turn her head. Reaching a hand up to the aforementioned sore muscle, she was shocked to discover a bandage wound around her throat. Fully awake now, she darted her eyes frantically about the room, or rather, the tent. Soft blankets and pillows greeted her fingertips as she lowered her arms to the ground beside her. She struggled to sit up, but a strong hand gently forced her back down to the bed. 

"You should not try to move so much, Miss Kaoru."

_// That voice…no, it can't be…//_

"Ken…shin?"

"Yes, I am here, that I am. Your body is still recovering from the poison, so you should refrain from trying to sit up, Miss Kaoru," he instructed her, his tone forceful yet soft. 

"Poison? What…why…?"

Suddenly, all the events from the previous night came rushing back to her, and her eyes widened in shock and sadness. Tears began rolling down her pale cheeks, mixing with the dried blood on her skin and leaving coppery trails in their wake. // _They accused me of treason…I was framed and poisoned…I can never go back…// _She was angered, tired, weak, and anguished. But before she could even move to wipe the salty wetness from her face, a callused hand gently stroked her cheek while another removed the blood and tears with a wet cloth. 

"Kenshin, why…?" 

"Don't cry, Miss Kaoru. Please, anything but tears," he pleaded, looking into her stunned eyes. Seeing her in such a sorrowful state pulled at his heart until he thought it would tear. 

A slow blush began to creep upon her cheeks at their proximity, the rosy color giving her face a warmer glow. Kenshin smiled tenderly at her reaction as he continued to clean the rest of her pale skin. He listened to the sound of her unsteady breathing, chuckling to himself at her anxiety. Having her here with him, safe and alive, gave him a warm feeling of comfort and contentment he hadn't experienced in…he couldn't remember. 

The two sat in calm silence as he finished wiping the blood off her face. Smiling sincerely, she whispered, "Thank you, Kenshin." 

Both of them knew there was more weight to those words than their simplicity conveyed. He nodded in reply, never breaking eye contact with her. 

After a few moments, the heat of his gaze was too much for her to hold, and she turned away, blushing. All of a sudden, something from the previous night resurfaced in her mind, something that she had thought was a dream in the midst of her nightmares. She turned her face back to his, looking up at him as he knelt beside her. "Kenshin, about last night…Something has been slipping in and out of my mind, as if it were only a dream…"

His gaze was completely transfixed on her, and once again she was forced to look away. "What is bothering you, Miss Kaoru?" 

Suddenly nervous, she stumbled before she finally found her voice again. "Kenshin…I thought I heard…did you swear to protect me last night?"

She turned her gaze up to his, wanting to read his response in his eyes as well as his words. 

"Yes, I did," came the calm reply. His eyes were filled with nothing but kindness and amiability, and yet they did not reveal anything deeper than what a friend might feel. 

Deflated and heartbroken, she began to turn her head back when he caught her chin and forced her to look at him once more. "And I swear it to you now. I will never let any harm come to you, Miss Kaoru."

His eyes reflected a completely different emotion now. 

The sincerity of his words combined with the strange feeling in his eyes was enough to make her heart leap into her throat. They stayed still, staring at each other, a great myriad of emotions flowing between them for some time. Then, as if his movements were subconscious, Kaoru found the distance between them rapidly decreasing. She was surprised at how right it felt to be here, like this. With him. Her eyes fluttered shut in anticipation that made her heart beat faster than ever before. 

With their mouths just centimeters apart, she murmured, "Kenshin…"

"Kenshin!" 

The redhead in question jumped back faster than the human eye could blink. Standing at the entrance to the tent was Sagara Sozou, panting hard as if he had just run the circumference of the camp twenty times. Seemingly oblivious to the scene he had interrupted, Sozou entered the tent and walked toward his leader, hand tensed at his sword hilt. 

"Kenshin, something's happened at Sumaktra. Saitoh was in attendance at the banquet, and investigated the assassinations. He found some kind of poison dart in the hallway where Miss Kaoru was attacked, and is now searching everywhere for you. He wants you to meet with him," the young man reported, eyes grave. "He says it concerns Lieutenant Shinimori Aoshi."

Something in his tone indicated that he was nonplussed about the importance of his commanding army officer's involvement with his leader and fellow marauder. Something was very much amiss. 

At the mention of his late friend's name, Kenshin's gaze narrowed dangerously. "You must be mistaken. Aoshi has been dead for years. I saw his corpse with my own eyes." 

"Unless there are two Shinimori Aoshi's running about Kahaktri, I believe my lieutenant and your comrade to be one and the same, Himura," Sozou averred, his face never flinching, though his eyes still reflected confusion and pain. He had been serving in the Kahaktrian army for all this time under Kenshin's orders, and yet had never once guessed at the possible connection between the army lieutenant and his bandit leader. All this time he had been watching Saitoh, while Aoshi had completely eluded his thoughts…Something of this magnitude should not have been kept secret.

A heavy silence fell over the tent, and the air suddenly seemed much closer and denser. Breathing seemed to require a great deal more effort. 

"Himura," Sozou's voice sliced the atmosphere with its seriousness, its betrayed tone. "Why was I never informed of Aoshi? I thought I was your most trusted advisor and friend." 

A deep sigh escaped Kenshin's chest. "There are some things about me you, or anyone else, must never know. 

"To know me completely means you have accepted death as your companion." 

Kaoru looked at him, her complete disbelief at his words evident. // _This man…he is not speaking like the Kenshin I know. Yet he is not quite the image of Battousai, either…//_

He was a mix of the two souls, both a man of compassionate peace and cold lethality.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

Sozou left the two of them, the shock in his eyes hidden by a practiced taciturn mask. Kenshin's eyes were closed, his face contorted in deep thought. His hand was at his hilt. 

She felt hot tears gather behind her eyes as realization dawned on her. // _Since when did I care for him this much?//_

"Miss Kaoru?"

His eyes were open, focused on her efforts to hide her sorrow and her feelings. 

"So, I assume you'll be going then, Kenshin," she surmised, inwardly marveling at the control in her voice. 

When she did not receive a reply, she continued, still avoiding his gaze. "It was all my fault in the first place, and now you've become mixed up in this crazy plot as well. I'm so sorry, Kenshin. I wish you the best of luck…"

She was silenced by a gentle finger on her lips. "Kaoru, did I not promise to protect you?" 

She nodded absently, wondering once again at the foreign emotion in his eyes. 

"I will remain here, with you, until you have sufficiently recovered from the poison. When that time comes, then we'll be concerned with what happened last night," he murmured softly. 

Then, he pressed his lips to the crown of her head and stood up, walking to the entrance flap. 

"Rest now, Miss Kaoru. I will not leave you."

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

tbc…                


	14. Remembrance By Firelight

I dedicate this chapter to those of you who have been patiently waiting for some explanation to certain events. I promise the _next chapter_ will have much good **Aoshi/Misao**…stuff. This story mainly centers on Kenshin and Kaoru, but that does not mean I will deny all the other couples their chance in the spotlight. And as always, your patience is a godsend, minna-san. ^_^

_Disclaimer:_ If I owned Rurouni Kenshin, I can assure you that the last 40-something episodes would not have happened, and the Jinchuu Arc would most certainly have been realized in the anime. 

_A/N: _As a little reward for all of my reviewers support, I've done some review-response at the end of this chapter for everyone who reviewed Chapter 13. Domo arigatou gozaimasu, minna-san! _Reviews make me write faster…_ *hint hint*

//…// denotes thoughts

Desert Rose  
By Lady Calliope 

**Chapter 14: **Remembrance By Firelight

Kenshin sighed as one chosen to bear all the burdens of the world as he lifted his goblet to his cracked lips. In a way, that description was quite accurate. After all of his young yet infinitely old years of living, he had encountered so much bloodshed, hate, pain, suffering, and loss that it was nearly impossible to absolve himself of all blame. At least, in his eyes it was. 

His eyes shifted around the circle of men gathered before the fire, each one's laughter echoing throughout the desert plains. The firelight danced on their skin and in their eyes, lending them an appearance of a much more jovial nature than that which they actually possessed. Kenshin studied each of his men silently, his mind quietly shifting through all of the memories and nightmares that had brought each of them before this campfire tonight. Some were tales of a lighter nature, while some—his eyes quickly darted to Sozou—were tales full of a great darkness. 

Unbidden, his mind drifted back to that day three years ago that had forever bound Sozou's loyalty to Kenshin. It was not that the young man in question was under the contract of some kind of debt of the flesh, but rather he suffered under the harsh truth that he had no where else to turn. Unconsciously, Kenshin's callused hand made its way to the crossed scar on his left cheek, the one that had received its final slash that fateful night three years ago.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

The air was typical of a Sumaktrian night: light and cool, laced with the barest hints of the faded sunlight's embrace. The evening was quiet, but not overly so. Every once in a while, the sounds of siblings shrieking in delight of play or the clattering of clay and metal as a woman cleaned the kitchen after a late dinner would drift through the air, reaching the ears of the three figures that walked about the city. Upon closer scrutiny, one could dimly decipher the builds of two young men, one shorter than the other, and a woman walking between them with an almost regal quietude. She had her left arm laced around the taller man's right.

Tomoe smiled in the smallest sense of the word as she listened to the two men quarrel. There was no malicious intent evident in either of their postures or voices, but she had known each of them for long enough to recognize the traces of annoyance in the taller man's voice; the shorter man was winning the argument. Her husband could be so transparent at times.

"…and even if they did stage an attack upon the city, there would be no hope of victory for them once they met the army."

"Sozou," Kenshin replied, a smile settling on his face as he shook his head. "Your trust and belief in the Kahaktrian army is admirable. But not even General Saitou's forces would be able to put an end to the Nihamran's march. They have control of the most powerful forces in all the provinces; you know this."

"They have the forces, yes, but we have the cunning," he retorted, smirking. 

The redhead's smile never faltered. "Perhaps, but even the cobra cannot win against a hungry jackel."

Tomoe silently laughed at her husband's slightly annoyed gaze. He knew he had lost; yet, he would continue to fight. 

"This is all inane babble, in any case. Nihamra would never attack us; they know of and respect the power that forged this kingdom, and even they have a sense of honor," Sozou asserted after a few moments. 

"I am merely expressing my concern, friend. It is all too obvious the political and economic gains that would be won if Nihamra decided to storm us. I believe the royals are being too lax about the potential situation," Kenshin countered with a small glance of amusement in Tomoe's direction. 

"Your words seem to resonate with my thoughts, Kenshin. I, too, have been worried about such an attack," she announced quietly, the smile fading from her lips but still evident in her voice. 

Sozou's eyes widened a fraction in surprise at his wife's words. "You take his side over mine? Where is your matrimonial loyalty?" he mused, a small grin on his lips.

"Oh, fear not, dear husband. You still have my heart, but that does not give you sway over my mind. And in matters of politics and war, I tend to take the more precautious road, like Kenshin," she answered, her smile wide upon her countenance as she met Sozou's gaze.

"Thank you, Tomoe. I'm glad one of the royal family members has some wits about them," Kenshin laughed. "However, your hot-tempered brother currently sitting on the throne does not seem to possess the same sense as you."

"Indeed, he does not. It seems that only one of the three was born with His Highness's clear head. That's why I married her, after all." 

"You, married me? It seems, Sozou, that the events preceding our union have fled your memory. It was I who married you. And I can assure you, if Kenshin here had not interceded and made right a few misunderstandings, you would be without a wife today," she rejoined, a slight smirk gracing her face. 

"It is not my fault that my leader happens to be more articulate than I, and furthermore…"

Their conversation died as the breeze. Kenshin's eyes had narrowed, his blade unsheathed before Tomoe could blink. Sozou's back was to her, guarding her from any frontal attack as Kenshin stood behind her. Both men had instantaneously traded their formerly good-humored nature for that of skilled swordsmen on the defense. She had not heard anything unusual, but then again her two protectors could sense things that normal humans could not. As bandits, the world of shadows was their bloody home. 

Suddenly, a rustle of cloth, steel slicing through air, the cold wetness of a wall as her back connected with its hardness. She had been pushed away from the fray, by which one she knew not, before any danger had registered with her senses. Shakily, she rose to her feet and watched, breathless with fear, as the battle raged. 

The inky blackness surrounding them made recognition of their assailant impossible to her. All she could gather was that this man—was it a man? Or beast?—was as quick and skilled with the blade as both her husband and friend. Both men attacked the dark shadow simultaneously, but to no avail. The attacker blocked Kenshin's downward swing with his sword, and a dagger seemed to materialize in his hand to stop Sozou's sword from connecting with his right side. He held the position for a moment, then scraped his weapons along the edges of theirs as he threw his body forward, flipping and landing on his feet. 

He wasted no time. Almost faster than sight, he was upon the two men again, swinging and slashing fiercely at them both. And yet, it seemed to her that all of his focus was directed at Kenshin, and only a fraction of his attention was being spent on Sozou. It was like he viewed her husband as an annoyance…or an obstacle. The bloodlust and animosity of his heart seemed to roll off of him in waves palpable even to her. In an insight wrought by fear, she realized their battle was rapidly approaching a point where desperation would prevail…

Suddenly, she caught a glint in her friend's eyes that made her blood freeze. It was brief, but there was the smallest flash of amber in Kenshin's normally violet gaze. After that, his strikes seemed to increase in ferocity with every swing. 

//No…//

Another flash of gold as Sozou was slashed deeply across the chest. She reached out a trembling hand to both her injured husband and tormented friend. 

//No…//

Sozou fell to the ground, unconscious, as another of their aggressor's edges caught him across his thighs and up his right arm. It was just Kenshin and their assailant now. The amber in his eyes grew more permanent, swirling with the violet as he flipped his sword. He meant to kill. 

//NO!//

She left the safety of the wall and ran to her red-haired friend, intending to stop him from transforming completely. She'd be damned if she was going to let his curse shatter his vow if there was something she could do to prevent it. His eyes had almost completely lost all traces of violet. 

Their foe blocked Kenshin's sword once again, while at the same time slashing at the right side of the redhead's midsection with his dagger. However, while Kenshin foresaw and easily blocked the second weapon, he did not predict the kick from his left side. The sharp pain of cracking ribs stole his breath for a second, a mere second, but it was all their attacker was looking for. 

His sword swooped down from its stalemate above Kenshin's head, its intent clear as blood to her. 

//**NO!**//

Kenshin gasped as his back connected with the sandy earth, his eyes wide. He felt his side, realizing he was not dead, not even injured. Then he remembered a flash of pale skin before he flew backward, and the dark assailant that he had fought. There was something coldly familiar in his fighting style, something that reminded him of another friend killed not so long ago by a mysterious assassin…

Raging, he jumped up from his position on the ground and stared at the site before him, intending to drive his blade through their attacker's heart.

Tomoe was lying, face in the blood-soaked earth, a deep, irreparable laceration gouged into her left side. The assassin was nowhere in sight. 

All traces of amber vanished from his eyes as he scrambled, kneeling by her side. He gently held her head in his lap. Her eyes fluttered open briefly, smiling in recognition, before closing again. She whispered a few words to him, but the effort too much for her body to handle. 

Her head dropped to the side, her last breath escaping her pale mouth forever. 

_"Your vow has been upheld; I'm glad. Watch over him for me."_  

He lifted his hand to his cheek to wipe away the tears, but it came away warm and smelling of copper as well as salt. He moved his fingertips over the cut he had received in the fight. It crossed with his old scar, forming a perfect "X". 

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-    

 Kenshin shook his head in an effort to clear his clouded eyes and mind of those events. After that night, they had informed the royal family of Tomoe's murder and left the details of the burial to her brothers. Enishi had gone into a rage after learning of his beloved elder sister's death; he vowed revenge on everyone whomever had killed her, and his accusations ran everywhere from the palace's servants to Nihamran assassins. No one spoke to him for weeks after her funeral, and he was never seen outside of his room during that period. 

Sozou could not continue living at the palace. The walls seemed to whisper to him all of the sweet nothings the two of them had shared, and his bed was cold like the dirt of a grave. The only person he could turn to was Kenshin, his friend and leader, the man to whom all his loyalties were bound. Kenshin invited him to come back to the Hitokiri camp with him and the rest of his men. He had friends there, and it was as far as Sozou could hope to be from the place that haunted him. 

Their preparations were made covertly and hastily. None of the royals would know of Sozou's departure save one small boy. His son, Yahiko. 

Leaving his only child behind was something he never thought he would have the strength or conviction to do. He was all the remembrance of Tomoe that Sozou had left, and he desired nothing more than to take his son and leave Sumaktra behind forever. Yet, he knew deep inside that he did not want Yahiko to grow up as a bandit's son; he wanted him to mature as the youngest of the Yukishiro royal family. Sozou could not return Yahiko's mother to his weeping son, but he could give him the chance to live the life Tomoe had worked hard to secure for him. And to his much-overlooked credit, Yahiko shed no tears the night his father and Kenshin slipped from the security of the capitol. 

He had to be strong for his father, and for the family he once had. 

Kenshin finished the last of his wine in a single swallow and excused himself from the Hitokiris' nightly ritual. He made his way back to his tent, silently opening and fastening the flap behind him to block the bitter chill of the darkened desert. 

His eyes fell immediately to the sleeping form lying in his bed. Her ebony hair was loose and scattered wildly around her face, a few stray strands settling themselves across her slightly parted, rouge lips. A slight blush colored her otherwise pale skin, testament to the poison her body was working to drive from her system. The beautiful dress she had been wearing at the banquet was stained, ripped, and bloody, and perspiration covered her face and certain places on her clothing. Somehow, the soiled, soft, torn picture she presented made her infinitely more precious to him and so much stronger. The valor of her heart and her resilient spirit would have remained hidden had she still resembled the desert goddess from the previous evening.

The woman he had been entranced by at the banquet was one of an intangible, ethereal dream. The woman before him now was the true Kamiya Kaoru. She was the one who possessed a fighter's fire and a courageous beauty: the one he had sparred with in the palace gardens. 

The one with which he was steadily, despite all his vain efforts, falling in love.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

tbc…

**MP: **thank you for the good approval. ^_~ I'm very happy that you're enjoying this little story of mine. And I won't give up on this story; you can be sure of that!

**Tiian: **I've enjoyed your past reviews, and it makes me excited to know that I have faithful reviewers like you. I'm trying to get more action/romance going here; I hope the plot thickening is not too complex as the story progresses. 

**kyanos:** I'm glad you like my descriptions/character interactions; it's one of the things I worry most about. ^-^ Your enthusiasm is wonderful! And I agree with you whole-heartedly; Saitoh is most definitely what I'd call the "good villain."

**Ezra: **I tried to update faster this time; sorry if it was still too long! And I'm very excited that you like my Arabian theme. This story was actually inspired by the song "Desert Rose" by Sting; that's where the theme came from. ^-~

**Atlantis:** Wow…that was one of the most wonderful and inspirational reviews I've ever received. *sigh* I _wish_ this baby had over a hundred reviews…But, I'll be just as happy if the few people that read my story like it as much as you do. Thank you very much for the support! ^_____^

**Dragowolf:** Eep! I'm writing, I'm writing! It's very hard for me to turn out chapters quickly as: a) I don't have a lot of time to write b) it takes me about 2-3 hours to write one chapter b/c I edit and re-edit it before I post it. I'm sorry there was no A/M in this chapter, but fear not! That's what Chapter 15 is for…^_~  

**à **That's it for this edition of "Calliope's Review Responses"; to get a response, just review this chapter and tune in for the next one! On an aside, I dearly love and thank all the people that take the time to read this story even if you don't leave reviews. Domo arigatou gozaimasu, minna-san! ^____________^  ß


	15. Author's Note READ!

**Author's Note**

Following are a few issues I've decided to address in regard to "Desert Rose". This is just to clear up any confusion about the story's purpose, characterizations, pairings, etc. **If you've followed my story, _I highly recommend you read this!_**

1) First, I would like to remind everyone that this is an _Alternate Universe_ story. That is the reason some of the events that occur do not coincide with the Rurouni Kenshin timeline. For instance, I'm well aware that Kaoru and Kenshin are not very close in age in the anime/manga, but in this story they are only three years apart. I created this story because I wanted to write a desert/Arabian romance and drama, and I thought the characters from Rurouni Kenshin would work best. So, basically, you _must_ keep in mind that I have simply taken the characters themselves and put them in an entirely different world with completely new histories. 

2) I know there are a lot of readers who would like the pace of this story to pick up a great deal (especially in the romance department ^-~). And believe me, so would I! But, again, this is an _Alternate Universe _story. In "Desert Rose", there are no previous relationships/experiences for me to build off of. I can't just make Kenshin and Kaoru fall all over each other because it's like the beginning of the anime/manga: they've only met for the first time at the beginning of the story. I hate rushed romance, and a slow build-up is how love happens in real life anyway. 

3) There have been a lot of requests/complaints about more Aoshi/Misao romance. I, too, am a big fan of that couple, but you must bear in mind that this is mostly a Kenshin/Kaoru story. This doesn't mean there won't be _any_ focus on the other couples, just not nearly as much. Also, don't expect big fireworks when Aoshi/Misao _do_ meet; she's been living a life of revenge and pain for years and the sudden "resurrection" of her love will not be easy to adapt to…

4) On that same note, I've had a lot of questions in regards to pairings, especially centered around Sozou/Tomoe. Remember, all I've done with this story is take the Rurouni Kenshin characters and changed everything around them. Yes, I've woven in certain aspects of the series for the benefit of the story (Megumi's drug life, Tomoe's death, etc.), but that certainly _doesn't mean everything will be the same_. For instance, I realize how unlikely a Sozou/Tomoe pairing is, but think of it this way: she couldn't be married to Kenshin, so who's the next best choice? Both Tomoe and Sozou are quite, intellectual individuals, and in my mind their marriage is not such a far stretch. Besides, everything is going to be a little wacky as this is an _insanely_ AU story!

5) Last thing, I promise. In regards to my slow updating time, please bear in mind that I do not have hours of free time where I can just plop down and write. Believe, I wish for nothing more! However, I have many, many obligations at school and with my family, and I'm also in charge of a very large retreat for my diocese. These things, to me, take priority over fanfiction. I love reading/writing it, I truly do, but I also know there's more to life than that. Each chapter takes around 3 or 4 hours for me to write, as I'm a perfectionist and I must edit/re-edit while I write. But have faith! _I will finish this story!_ I love this little baby of mind too much to abandon it. 

Well, to those of you who've actually read this, I appreciate your time and patience. Every review has given me more and more reason to continue this story, and I truly appreciate and thank all of you! I love you all, minna-san! 3

^_________________~

-calliope

--------------------------------------

"Evil will always triumph because Good is dumb."

-Dark Helmet


	16. I Am Become Death

::dusts cobwebs off of ff.net uploader:: It's been a while, hasn't it? In any case, I'm back, here's Chapter 15 (UNEDITED, mind you), enjoy the Misao/Aoshi entertainment, and leave a review if you feel like making an over-taxed author's day! ^_^

_Disclaimer:_ When the world ends, the lawyers will be the first to go. I do not own _Rurouni__ Kenshin_; that amazing patent belongs to Nobuhiro Watsuki-san.

_To the reviewers: _I cannot thank you guys enough for pestering/encouraging me.  
_A/N_: Because ff.net hates italics…

//…// denotes thoughts

**Desert Rose**  
By Lady Calliope

**Chapter 15:** I Am Become Death

Before the sun had risen from its star blanketed bed, Kenshin was gripping the reigns of his horse as it galloped hotly across the barren land. The stallion's hooves were kicking up a swirling trail of sand as they raced towards the Kahaktrian Army's encampment. The need to know what these current events had to do with his long-dead friend fueled his veins with an energy he had never before possessed. And if Aoshi had something to do with the assassinations meant to frame Kaoru, there was all the more reason to urge his steed on at breakneck speed though this land of sand and darkness. 

// Kaoru… //

The last thing he had wanted to do was leave her side during her recovery; it had taken every ounce of his will, as well as a good deal of physical force from Sozou, for him to mount his ride and head west. But if this would help to clear Kaoru's name of treason, then he would sacrifice a few precious hours for her sake. As long as the real assassin was still at large, she could not re-enter the gates of Sumaktra without forfeiting her life. She may have trained the palace guards and taught them everything they knew about swordsmanship, but she taught them loyalty above all else. And their loyalties lay with Sanosuke and the royal family. No, Kenshin would never let the guards' honor take Kaoru away from him. He had to speak with Saitoh and discover for himself what exactly was transpiring around them, and what part Kaoru had to play. 

A few vestiges of the night's dark vigil were slowly lightening in the eastern sky; the inky indigo and blackness were softly fading into a pale gray and yellow. Dawn would soon be upon the desert, and the last thing Kenshin needed was the blazing star bearing down upon his back, trailing his path across the sands with molten eyes unseen. He leaned forward as his horse picked up even more speed.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- 

"You wanted to see me, sir?"

  
Hard yellow eyes flickered only briefly to the man standing just inside the tent before returning to watch the lazy trail of smoke rise from the burning tobacco. Smoking induced thoughtfulness, a perfect habit for one puzzling through one of the most unusual murder cases of his time. After releasing one last cloud of haze from his mouth, Saitoh snubbed out the rest and nodded slightly at his officer. It was time to figure out what part every player was assigned in this game.

"I assume you know about the assassinations last night?" he stated, more than questioned.

Silence was enough of an affirmative. 

"Misao was there. I found this in the hallway," he continued, flicking the metal dart across the room. Aoshi caught it deftly by its base, careful not to touch the sharpened point. 

"That seems highly unlikely, sir. No one has seen her in seven years," came the cool reply. If it weren't for the slight widening of his eyes and sudden tightening of his face, Saitoh would never have known Aoshi was surprised by the sudden reappearance of his lover. He expected nothing less from his top lieutenant. 

"Are you doubting my judgment as well as the evidence in front of your very eyes? Don't be an idiot, Aoshi. The weasel girl is back. And with a plan for retribution as well," Saitoh countered. 

"Retribution against whom?" 

"An old friend of yours and an annoying acquaintance of mine," he responded. "I don't doubt that Himura is on his way here now."

"I see," Aoshi replied, seemingly disinterested. "Is that it, sir?"

A spark of irritation was kindled at his lieutenant's inability to accept responsibility for his actions. "I will not let you avoid them any longer. Half this mess I'm dealing with is your fault. Come out of your cowardly shell and face them," he challenged. 

Eyes locked in a silent battle of wills. After several moments, Aoshi spoke. "Yes, sir," he stated evenly, though anger at having lost his advantage shone in his stance.

"Good. Now, I will call you when…"

"Sir!" a voice interrupted from outside the tent flap. 

"What is it?" Saitoh answered curtly.

"Kenshin Himura to see you, sir," the soldier responded quickly. 

"Send him in." 

"Why must I be besieged by morons all at once?" Saitoh said, taking out another cigarette. 

Kenshin entered the spacious tent, taking quick notice of Saitoh at the far end. What caught his attention, however, was the fact that his friend who had been buried for seven years was standing and breathing not five feet from him. Aoshi Shinimori: one of the most lethal Hitokiri fighters Kenshin had ever commanded. Back from the afterlife.

"Saitoh, what is the meaning of all this?" the redhead demanded, facing the man opposite him rather than the one next to him. 

The general snorted. "You always were a moron when it came to putting two and two together, Himura."

The bandit's eyes narrowed in response as the army officer took a drag of his cigarette and let it out slowly. Saitoh turned his attention back to the swordsman after a few more moments. 

"I see I have to explain everything to you simpletons," he began, smirking. "As you can see, Aoshi Shinimori is not dead. He has been working for me for the past seven years. Misao was at the palace last night. She was the one responsible for poisoning that raccoon girl of yours. I have no idea as to her motivations for doing such, but there is one obvious explanation as to why she would betray one of her former friends."

Kenshin's eyes went wide. "She thinks I was responsible for Aoshi's 'death'." It made perfect sense. He had never told Misao what happened that night, never explained who was responsible. She only knew that the two of them went away, and only he had returned. Which meant…

"Very good, Himura. I didn't think you had it in you to be that intuitive. So I suppose you know what she's out for now?"

"Revenge," came the cold reply. All eyes turned to Aoshi, whose gaze was not as steely as usual. He seemed more distant somehow, lost in his own mind. 

"You have to…"

"Shinimori knows what he must do. I have already charged him with it," Saitoh interjected, a slight smirk on his face as he inhaled another breath of his tobacco. There was something unspoken in that statement, something between the other two men, but Kenshin had no interest in finding out what it was. "I'm leaving it up to him to find out where the weasel girl is hiding. He is leaving immediately."

Blue eyes glanced coldly at the general. "What about my other assignments, sir?"

"I will suspend them for now. This is a more pressing matter on my docket," he rejoined, a note of finality in his voice. He turned his attention back to his cigarette.

Aoshi knew he was dismissed. He turned to leave, lifting the tent flap with his right arm. A hand on his shoulder stopped him. 

"Do you still love her?" Kenshin asked in a quiet, demanding voice.

A cold stare was all he received in response. Then the lieutenant was gone. Kenshin stared at his hand for a moment, reeling from the fact that the warmth lingering on his palm came from his long lost friend. Ever since he met Kaoru, his world had slowly been turning upside down. Now, it had lurched from beneath his very feet. Very little was the same as it was seven years ago—seven minutes ago, even—and yet he did not long for the past. There were so many questions he wanted to bombard his friend with, but there was no time. However, the one query he had voiced aloud was the most pressing on his mind: and he still did not have a clear answer. 

"He still loves her, the moron. He carries that damn ribbon of hers around like a child's blanket," Saitoh responded to the redhead's unspoken question. However, all of this superfluous nonsense was grating on his nerves. "Shall we discuss matters of national safety now?"

Kenshin shook his head to clear the thoughts from his mind. As much as he hated to admit it, the general was right: there were more pressing matters at hand. "Am I correct to assume that Miss Kaoru will not be allowed to return to the capitol, Saitoh?"

"Correct. The king has banned her from the city. If she returns and is caught, she will die," he said nonchalantly. 

Anger burned inside him. "How could Sanosuke do that to her? He knows she was not responsible for what happened to the Nihamran delegation."

"Don't be a moron. Of course she didn't assassinate anyone, but no one knows who did…"

"…And until they find the real killer, the king can't appear biased just because she's a personal friend," Kenshin finished. Now more than ever he was reminded why he hated politics. 

Silent agreement met his assessment. There was nothing more to say. 

Kenshin turned to leave, but paused before he closed the flap. "I will contact you again, Saitoh." 

Then the general was left alone in his tent.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- 

There was no need to contact any of his informants to discover Misao's location. He knew exactly where she was. He had met her there for the first time, and it was the last place they were together before he was attacked. It was just a small tent far out in the desert, a place that the few who stumbled upon it dismissed it as nothing but a mirage. Even after seven years he could still remember its exact location. It was a funny thing, love. 

After a few hours travel under the gaze of the traveling sun, he finally arrived. Nothing had really changed since he had last laid eyes on it: the wooden post where her horse was tied looked a little less sturdy, the canvas had a few more rips and stains on it, but it was exactly the same as he remembered it. // Enough nostalgia, Aoshi. Do what you came here to do, coward // he berated himself. He dismounted and began slowly walking towards the entrance, every muscle in his body tense. After all, his apparent resurrection did not seem to go over well with everyone, and he was very aware of her powers. A swordsman he could defend against, but a gypsy was another matter entirely. Especially a grieving, vengeful gypsy.  

He reached the entrance and extended a hesitant hand. He could not remember the last time he had been uncertain about anything. The things this woman could do to him…

There was barely time to dodge the metallic glint aimed at his throat. She didn't miss a thing. Relief at having evaded almost certain death was replaced by shock as his hand came away from his flesh. Blood. The world ceased to exist. 

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- 

Darkness and warmth. No, not complete darkness. There was a shimmer of dull light to his right. But the warmth was the most prominent thing on his mind. Why was it so warm? 

With great effort, he cracked his eyes open. They immediately fell shut again. Slowly, he blinked his eyes, the world around him becoming clearer with each passing moment. Eventually, he was able to open his eyes and prevent them from closing. Strangely, though, the first thing that came into his field of vision was darkness. That didn't make sense; there was a candle directly to the right of his head which illuminated, albeit dimly, the interior of the tent. This darkness…

He lifted a careful finger and touched the darkness encompassing his torso. Hair. It was hair. 

Misao. 

A small, unbidden smile came to his lips. She had fallen asleep beside him, her head on his chest. Her hair was not bounded by its usual braid and spilled over him. Her head rose and fell with each breath he took. This was the way it had been, once upon a time. The comfort and peace her presence brought to his soul was overwhelming. He had never expected to see her again, and somehow, even though he knew she was fully capable of looking after herself, the steady beating of her heart against him soothed a feeling of cold, fearful emptiness he was never aware of until now. She was alive. 

// Why did I avoid this for so many years? //

The light chased shadows on and off the planes of her face. She was still as youthful as ever, but the seven years they had been apart had added a look of maturity to her features that had not been there before. Her eyes had the barest traces of lines at the corners—whether from laughter or anger he knew not—her mouth was the slightest bit darker, and her skin looked tanner and more worn than before. She had been alone in the desert all this time, but she had weathered it well. To him, she seemed stronger, older, more experienced than the woman-child of seven years ago. More beautiful.

Her eyes fluttered open, a look of confusion resting on her face at first. Then, suddenly, her gaze was wide and she sat back, staring at the man in front of her. She thanked the gods that she had chosen a powerful sleeping draught rather than a fatal one to poison her dart with. If she hadn't, she would be dead by now as well of her own volition. She hadn't even thought before throwing; she had sensed someone approaching and felt their apprehension at her door, and she selected blindly and attacked. No one had come to see her for seven years unless it was to rob her. As soon as she heard the thud of the intruder's body, she had rushed outside to finish the job. And almost fell unconscious herself at the sight before her. She hadn't believed it at first, thinking it was just her mind playing cruel tricks on a bereaved woman. But when she felt real flesh beneath her fingers, labored breaths against her skin, and a faint pulse at his throat, tears seeped out of her eyes. She had brought him inside then, laying him on her own bedding and administering the antidote. Soon after, she had fallen asleep listening to his heartbeat. 

He was real. All this time…He was alive!

"A…Aoshi," she whispered hoarsely, her tears returning in full force. She still could not believe he had been alive these past seven years. Although she had wished with all her might that he may return to her, she had known deep within her that he was gone. For once, she was wrong in her predictions, and she couldn't have been more blissful. 

"Aoshi!" she cried, falling into his open embrace. "I thought…I never…you…"

"I know," he replied softly, stroking her hair with his free hand while the other held her tight to his chest. 

Her tears began to assuage as she pressed herself to him. "Your heart. I can hear your heartbeat. You're really alive," she murmured into his shirt. "You're alive."

"Misao…" he began, for once unsure where to begin. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for all the pain…"

Her finger silenced him as she shook her head. "Let's just be right now. I've longed for you for seven years," she replied, her eyes reflecting a mischievous glint. "Explanations can wait." 

He nodded in understanding and agreement. She began to withdraw her finger from his face but he caught her wrist deftly and pulled it back to him. He caressed the digit gently with his lips, alternatively taking the tip of it into his mouth and stroking it with his tongue. She moaned in response. // How I've missed him…//

Aoshi was famous in the army for his self-control and ability to keep his emotions in check. But in this instance, however, he was powerless to resist. Misao had always held a special power over him, one that he was hard pressed to admit but did not deny its existence. He reached out and gently took hold of her face, brushing her lips with his. The kiss soon evolved from tender and soft to passionate and heat-filled. Seven years was a long time for both of them. 

Eventually, Misao pulled back, that unarming shimmer still in her eyes. She reached out and grabbed the hem of his shirt, lifting it above his head and throwing it haphazardly to the side. She ran her hands along the taught, sculpted flesh in front of her as she covered his mouth with hers once more. While one hand began massaging his back, she reached the other down to remove his pants as well, but his hand stopped her before she could reach his hips. She stared at him, then, a questioning look in her gaze, before she noticed the dark smirk on his face. Understanding dawned on her, and the confusion on her face was soon replaced with a playful, teasing look. 

She stood up before he could undo the tie holding her robe closed. He glanced up at her in slight agitation before he realized what she was doing. Slowly, she undid the thin material and slid the robe off the top of her shoulders, revealing the tops of her breasts to the candlelight. His eyes were fixated on her. With a wicked smile, she painstakingly slid the robe down further, until eventually her whole torso was exposed to his darkening gaze. Then, suddenly, she let the rest of it fall into a heap at her feet. The shadows played across her bare skin as she slowly walked toward him. 

She knew how to drive him to the brink with desire. He had truly missed these games of hers, when they revealed sides of themselves that only the other knew. Her dark hair cascaded down her back, ever so much longer than he remembered; it swayed behind her with every step she took. When she was almost to him, she knelt down and crawled the rest of the distance on all fours. As she finally touched him, she straddled his hips and leaned down, kissing him as softly as she ever had. 

He could not play this game any longer. While increasing the intensity of their kiss, he managed to rid himself of his pants. He then flipped her gently onto her back, placing his hand behind her head to cushion her while resting most of his weight on other arm so as not to crush her. After a few more fervent kisses and exploration of each other's bodies, he willed himself to slow down. She understood the implicit meaning and did the same. After seven years apart, lovers need to learn all the changes of each others' bodies as well as revisit that which has remained the same. And the only way to do so was slowly, lovingly. Nothing should be wasted or rushed. Love was something that required time. 

And they would stave off the dawn for as long as they could.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- 

Whew. I can't tell you how much I've worried about this chapter simply because I've never written Aoshi/Misao before, and I've never written anything quite this racy before. I hope it turned out satisfactory for all you A/M fans out there! ^-^ I hope to update more often now that I have more free time, but no promises, minna. 

**Jason M. Lee**: I know the Souzo/Tomoe thing is impossible in the actual timeline, but I like the idea of it. Thanks for the loyal reviews!

**Ezra1**: I hope you liked this chapter. Misao was a little off before, but I think that's what would happen if Aoshi was ever murdered before her eyes. 

**Val**: I'm glad you like the story! And silly Kenshin is such a baka when it comes to admitting his feelings. ^-^

**MP1**: The curse will be revealed in time. Probably in the next chapter, actually. And this fic isn't done yet! 

**Kyanos**: I'm glad you like the way I related Kenshin/Tomoe. And I couldn't write Kaoru as other than a totally strong female. And thanks for recommending this fic to others! 

**Kriska**: Thanks for bearing with me on the Souzo/Tomoe thing. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

**Tiian**: It's a relief to know that people don't mind me editing out the Tomoe/Kenshin thing. Makes everything less complicated. ^-~v  I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Thanks for the loyalty and understanding.

**NightRain2**: Thanks for taking a chance on this story! I'm happy you like it so much. Thanks for the compliment.

**Dragowolf**: I'm sorry this took so long to get out. Thanks for your patience! I hope you liked the A/M. ^-~

**ShimmerNymph**: I'm glad you like the pace. And I try very hard to put forth the best quality writing I can. 

**Selph**: I quite enjoy the desert setting myself. I was going for something a little different. Thanks! 

**JML, Megamunch16, DBZ Goddess, Aglaia102,** **Chitchat**: Thank you! ^_^


	17. What Fools These Mortals Be

Rise from the grave! I'm back with more action and plot development. Unedited, of course. w00t! ^_^

_To the reviewers:_ You're wonderful. Truly!

_A/N:_  //text// indicates thought

And here's the little quote I couldn't get out of my head while writing this chapter:

"Ooo, I just _love dark and scary places! Here I go!"  
- Mosquiton, from _Master of Mosquiton__

**Desert Rose**  
By Lady Calliope

**Chapter 16**: What Fools These Mortals Be

"My Lord, I've returned with the information you requested."

"I hope it wasn't anything too challenging for you," he smirked, swirling the rest of his wine once before draining the goblet. Setting the empty vessel on the stone floor next to him, he turned his expectant eyes back to his most loyal follower. Of course, Shishio's loyalty had nothing to do with idealism and everything to do with money. Loyalty was a thing easily bought. 

A confident smirk greeted his eyes. "Of course not, my Lord. I have been well-trained," he responded. Snapping his fingers, a servant emerged from the shadows of the doorway behind them and hastily handed a stack of papers to Shishio, who dismissed him just as quickly. The assassin handed his superior the documents while he reported his findings. "They have fled to the desert, my Lord, just as you expected. Tracking them presented no obstacle—he was in too much of a hurry to take the necessary evasive precautions. Thanks to his oversight, we now know the location of the Hitokiri encampment as well as their numbers, both of which have been detailed for you on the map and the accompanying papers. Everything is included there: guard rotations, ranks, leaders, numbers, defenses, etcetera. I hope all of this is to your satisfaction, my Lord."

"As usual, you have provided me all that I need, Shishio. Excellent work," he replied, the smile on his face twisting into something sinister and dark as he withdrew something from within his robe. "The time has finally come for us to move ahead. Take these letters and dispatch two messengers at once, one to the Hitokiri camp and one to the Nihamran capital. Do not fail me."

"As you wish, my Lord."

The firelight cast shadows upon the spot where the bandaged man had stood not half a minute before. His smile never abating, he took up the pitcher of wine and poured himself another glass. A devilish glint playing in his eyes, he raised the goblet briefly before taking a sip. 

A toast to revenge. 

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

Campfire. That was the smell to which she had awoken. But why on earth would the palace smell like a campfire? Blinking, she looked around and finally remembered what had happened, where she was. She was in the middle of the desert, surrounded on all sides by men, recovering from poison, most likely banned from her home city, and clothed in the same dress she had been wearing for the past three days. Hopefully, she would start waking up sometime soon without forgetting where she was or how she came to be there. But that thought was the furthest from her mind at that moment. Kaoru sighed, frustrated, overwhelmed, dirty, and sore. 

At least this new day presented some small measure of good news for her. Flexing and stretching her muscles, she found that she was no longer in pain from the poison, just a little sore. Putting the back of her hand to her forehead, she deduced that her fever had gone down as well. Whatever medicine she had been given, it had worked almost perfectly: except for one thing. As she ran her cottony tongue over her dry lips, she felt the most ferocious thirst she had ever experienced. Simply put, she was beyond parched. Glancing all around the interior of the tent, her fervently searching eyes failed to recognize anything that might pass for a water vessel. Determination dominating her other emotions, she threw off the blanket covering her and stood up. 

A moment later, she fell right back down.

//Okay, so apparently my strength hasn't returned in full yet.// Kaoru concluded. //No matter. This is nothing! It's just a matter of mind over body, that's all.// And so revived, the petite young woman attempted to stand again, but at a much slower pace. As soon as she had managed to support herself on her feet, she grabbed one of the tent's thick, wooden support poles. Grinning in triumph, she steadily made her way to the tent flap, using anything she could get her hands on as support. Eventually, she made it to the entrance by clinging to one of the two poles on either side of the doorway and pulled one flap aside. She had not been expecting the sight that greeted her. 

The camp was completely empty, not a soul in sight. No matter how she squinted and strained in the light of the dying day, she could not catch a glimpse of any other residents of the camp. //That's strange. I wonder if Kenshin…No, that couldn't be it.// she remembered. //He left before dawn this morning.// The thought made her blush as she recalled the reason why she knew when he had left. She had been slipping somewhere between sleeping and awake in the early hours of the morning, the poison never allowing her to succumb completely to rest. Faintly, she felt something brush against her forehead, followed closely by a whispered word and light footsteps before all was silent again. Had he kissed her, or had she been imagining things? It was most likely a hallucination produced by her subconscious. Yes, that was it. But as she reflected on it even more, her doubt was slowly quelled and hope rose within her as she recalled the gentle way in which he had whispered goodbye before leaving the tent. She remembered that even more distinctly than his kiss. Perhaps because his voice then had reminded her of what his eyes had said three nights ago when they had almost…

//Idiot! Stop dwelling in a fantasy. He doesn't feel the same way you do. You're just a child to him!// the rational part of her mind chastised. 

Having successfully dampened her spirits with self-deprecation, Kaoru set off in search of water. She needed something, anything, to get her mind off the man that had slowly been consuming her thoughts since the day they had met in the palace gardens. 

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

The sun had traveled swiftly though its cosmic course—birth, maturity, middle age—and was coming upon its brilliant death before he awoke. Blinking, he tried to grasp the concept of time, and his eyes widened in shock when he realized how late it was. He had already been gone for an entire day. Had so many hours passed since he left the army encampment? Time seemed to move faster farther out in the desert; the entire night and most of the day were passed. Although, not much of the night had been spent sleeping.

Aoshi smirked at that thought, and then turned his head to look at the source of all this mental time manipulation. She was a child when she slept, truly. The peacefulness of rest smoothed the faint lines on her face and wiped all knowledge from her lips, exposing a picture of who she really was to the world: a woman wise in years and forever young at heart. Her hair was wild and untamed, claiming much of the area where their heads rested. The tan, smooth skin of her naked shoulders and small breasts shown above the blanket, which protected everything below her waist from his wandering eyes. Seven years. So much had changed in each of them, between them. Yet some things remained as they always had been. She was still beautiful, still strong, still Misao. His Misao. 

Memories from the previous night came back to him as he gazed at her face. How he had ever survived this long without her he didn't know. When Kenshin and he were attacked that night, he had physically died. There was no mistake in that. He had felt his soul slip away from this world. But then, what felt like moments later, he awoke as if from a dream, feeling only solid, smooth flesh where there had previously been a gaping wound. Dried blood was on his clothes and the grass and sand surrounding him. He had no idea what had happened; he only remembered smelling the faint scent of white plums on the air as a rare breeze blew through the desert. Convinced he was somewhere between living and dead, he had wandered away from the oasis, in search of an answer, a reason. Days later, feeling half dead, he had collapsed in the sands. 

When he awoke, he had found himself in a tent, lying on a pile of blankets and mats. A man walked through the entrance at that moment, curtly explaining to him that his men had found Aoshi face down in the sand near the encampment. Aoshi's sight was not completely recovered yet so the man's identity remained unknown, yet the voice was oddly familiar. After a few days of rehabilitation, Aoshi had had a long conversation with the same man—his general, Saitoh—and he had learned much. He had ended up in the encampment of the Kahaktrian army, where he had been missing from for one week. In order to pay his debt to the general for saving his life, Aoshi had agreed to work exclusively for Saitoh as a reconnaissance soldier for a few months. Eventually, the days had turned to months, the months to years, and Aoshi continued working solely in Saitoh's service. He had come to respect the gruff man as a superior and a comrade of sorts, much more than he did before he was attacked. Many times his mind had drifted to Misao and Kenshin, and just as many times he convinced himself it would be better if he didn't go back. For all he knew, Kenshin had been killed by the same man during the fight and dragged off, or captured, or something similar. Any way he looked at it, he had failed his friend and leader. And Misao…he knew that if he returned to her, he would never come back. He wouldn't want to, and she wouldn't let him. And over the years, he convinced himself that the reason why he hadn't died that night was this very line of work: he had to fulfill his duty to his country, loved ones, and friends. He had failed to protect them in his previous life, and he would not bring shame upon them by returning defeated or failing them again. He would become the strongest. Only then could he return to his previous life.

//I wasn't wrong.// he thought, gently pulling a lock of hair from Misao's peaceful face. //I simply chose a path and followed it. And yet, if not for my self-righteousness and pride, I could have prevented much of the suffering she and Himura had to endure. I became the strongest, but at what price? I will not hurt her anymore. I will not leave her again.// His eyes were drawn to her face as a small moan escaped her lips, followed by a muffled whisper. "Aoshi…" 

How had he lived this long without her love?

"I'm right here. I always will be."

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

"General! General!"

Saitoh sighed in irritation. Why did these fools he called his men have to yell and scream everything as if it's the end of the world? At least Aoshi managed to keep quiet most of the time. The general almost found himself missing his lieutenant, but he would never admit it. //Besides, the idiot's probably still with the weasel. It's only been a day.// he thought. Aoshi's absence seemed only to serve to elevate the stupidity of his soldiers, or so Saitoh thought. However, long ago, he had concluded that he would never be able to just sit and smoke in peace. It was a dream as impossible as humans on the moon. 

"What is it now?" he snapped in reply to the frantic voice outside his quarters.

"Sir!" The soldier burst through the entrance, placing his hands on his knees and panting as if he had just run the length of the desert. "General…contact…Nihamra…marching…"

The general's eyes narrowed at the mention of their neighboring kingdom and rival. "Well, spit it out, boy!" he ordered. 

The young man took a few deep breaths in a valiant attempt to control his wildly beating heart. Better to die of asphyxiation than to get on the Saitoh's bad side. "Sir, we just…received word…from our contact in Nihamra," he began, trying to make his sentences as complete and understandable as possible. "Nihamra is on the attack. They…mobilized two days ago. They'll be here in three days at their current pace."

Whatever reaction the soldier had been expecting from his superior, he had most certainly not expected annoyance. And certainly not directed at him. "General, what are our orders?" he prompted, attempting to instill the gravity of the situation in his normally competent commanding officer's mind.

"Do not attempt to direct my actions, soldier. I will give the orders when I feel it necessary. Now leave," he enjoined, smirking to himself as the young man's eyes widened in shock. //Youth is wasted on the moronic.//

"Y…Yes, sir," the soldier replied, fumbling from the tent. Once outside, he turned his incredulous eyes back to the general's tent. Did nothing surprise this man?

After the youth had left, Saitoh glanced down at the map on his desk. He had been expecting something like this from Nihamra, although he hadn't expected it so soon. Those war mongering idiots had been looking for a reason to attack Kahaktri, and the entire fiasco at the banquet was the perfect excuse. And it had taken place at a suspiciously good time, as well. Himura had returned to the palace from the desert, two prominent guests and friends of the emperor had come to stay for a visit, Battousai had fallen for one of them, and the emperor fancied the other. Tensions between the two kingdoms were at their peak, the futile diplomatic attempts at peace had been resting on the signing of that treaty at the banquet, and the blame for the assassinations had rested entirely on Himura's woman. Kaoru Kamiya. The more he thought about it, the more Saitoh was convinced of one thing.

Someone with high prestige and access to the palace and emperor was trying to start a war, one that would involve everyone connected to the royal family. And Himura was somehow at the center of it all.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

Misao awoke as something next to her stirred. Suddenly, the warmth that had let her sleep so sweetly was gone, and she felt its cold absence. Turning, her eyes adjusted to the dim light of dusk as she took in the figure of a man. Putting on his clothes. In her tent. She did what any normal gypsy would do when confronted with a stranger in her home. She let out a piercing yell and attacked. 

She found it strange when her fist was stopped mid-punch, and found it even stranger that her lips were being covered by someone else's. Before she could retaliate, however, the man spoke in a whisper, a voice she had heard only in her dreams for seven years. 

"That's no way to greet a lover in the morning. Or evening, as it were."

"Aoshi…" she whispered, collapsing into his chest with tear-filled eyes. "You're really here. I had convinced myself that it was all a dream, that I had only imagined everything that happened…"

He smirked. "If that is the case, Misao, then you have an extremely naughty imagination," he replied, trying to bring back that smile he loved so much. Immediately, he was rewarded with a peel of laughter and the brightest grin he had ever seen. Truthfully, he had suffered from the same dream—or nightmare, rather—that Misao had experienced. //I suppose it's true. Nothing really can change overnight.//

"I'm glad to see you've retained your sense of humor," she retorted, laughing even more at the incredulous eyebrow he raised at her. "In any case, let's eat. I'm starving!"

His smirk evolving into a genuine smile, he nodded his agreement and the two set out to prepare a meal for two: something neither had done in what seemed like a lifetime. It was odd, really, to have to double the amount of everything they cooked. But the result was well worth it. While they ate, they talked of many things, of fools and kings, changes and constancies, peace and war. And all the while, they acted as if they had never been separated. Misao poured extra wine for Aoshi, he took all the salted meat from her food while she took the pickled vegetables from his. All of this without even speaking of it, asking for it. They had not forgotten. Laughter, smirks, and meaningful glances sprinkled their conversation. It was the best meal either of them had ever experienced. 

After the last morsels of food were cleared from their portions, both turned to the cooking fire and added more wood, watching as it roared to life. They sat side by side in silence for a few moments, gazing into the flames, before Aoshi spoke. Something had been troubling his mind ever since he had last conversed with Saitoh. It was not uncommon for rumors to spread like wildfire in an army camp, but there was one that had become more of a legend than a rumor while Aoshi had been there after he was attacked by Shishio. Often the men would talk of the feared marauders, the Hitokiris, and their leader. This was nothing new, as they had talked of the band while Aoshi was still a Hitokiri. But something had changed in the leader. A demon, they called him. He had eyes that changed color depending on how great his bloodlust was, and swordsmanship that could bring down ten men in less than one minute. No one knew what he looked like, save for his eyes, although there was the rare—and often dismissed—report that he had a crossed scar on his face. But that was just a rumor that most did not heed. He's never killed, they said, but he had come close by seriously injuring those who challenged him. A lethal shadow. Battousai.  

//Himura was my leader, and he was called Battousai then, as well. But who is this man they speak of with such fear in their eyes? A demon? Is it possible Himura was bested as leader of the Hitokiris? But that's not possible. I would have heard of such a thing. And these rumors only started a little while after I was attacked…//

"Misao," he said quietly, disrupting the quiet as well as the cacophony of thoughts in his head. She turned to look at him, eyes questioning the serious tone in his voice. "Tell me something. I know nothing of what happened to Himura after I was…attacked," he began, choosing his words carefully. Her eyes hardened at the mention of his friend's name.

"And he didn't seem himself when I saw him before I came here. I know you have powers that can see anything, and you must know about him. Please, tell me what has become of Himura in these past seven years?"

Hate filled her eyes. "I do not care in the least what happened to that man. He killed you and took you away from me. I don't know how you came back, but I cannot forgive him for betraying you. For betraying me."

He sighed a long suffering sigh. "I thought you would have come to that conclusion when I saw him at the army camp.  As that was probably how it looked, I cannot blame you. But Misao," he murmured, looking her in the eye, "Himura didn't kill me. He tried to save me, but I was too weak."

"What are you saying?" she whispered. 

"We were attacked by a stranger. An assassin named Shishio. He was the one who drained my blood, not Himura. Because of me, the assassin escaped before he could track him." 

She was shocked into silence. She couldn't comprehend what her lover was saying. //He didn't kill Aoshi?// she puzzled to herself, a slow feeling of dread coming upon her. //But that means…// She collapsed, her hands on the sides of her head. //That means I've cursed an innocent man! A friend!// Tears fell unbidden from her eyes. "Aoshi, forgive me! Please, forgive me…" she whispered.

He wrapped her in his embrace. "I could never hold you accountable, Misao. You had no way of knowing," he answered, stroking her back. 

"But, but Himura…"

"…Will forgive you. He is a kind man," Aoshi interrupted before she could finish. "I'm sure there is a way to right everything, but you must tell me what you've done."

Nodding her agreement against his chest, she withdrew from his arms and turned her gaze to the fire. "All I could see was him holding your body. There was blood everywhere, on his sword, the ground…I could never forgive him for taking you away from me. I wanted to make him pay for the pain he had caused me," she began, pausing to collect her thoughts. "I delved into my darkest powers, using my anger and hate to increase the affect of the curse. Covered in blood, he still looked so horrified and guilty. I thought I would make him feel like for the rest of his life. So I cursed him with a second soul, one of bloodlust, a demon's soul. He would forever have two powers warring within his mind: the power to protect and the power to destroy. His eyes would constantly show his fight. Eventually, the two conflicting souls would tear him apart mentally and physically, a pain I thought compared to my own…"

"I'm so sorry, Kenshin," she whispered to the air. "If only I had known…"

Aoshi listened to her story in its entirety, never taking his eyes off her. When she had finished, he took her into his arms again and kissed her head, rocking her as she cried. "It was beyond your power to control your feelings. You saw and heard what everyone else thought. Himura will understand, he is still your friend," he comforted her. "Is there any way to lift the curse, Misao? Any way to reverse it?"

She looked up at him sadly and shook her head. "No. There is no way to lift it or reverse it," she whispered, anguished.

"Is there anything that can be done?"

She thought. "You cannot dispel the curse, but you can control it completely. If Kenshin can find peace between the demon and the man inside of him, he will overcome the curse."

Something sparked through Aoshi's eyes as she spoke. Kissing her softly, he helped her to her feet. "If that's all there is to it, then don't lose faith in his recovery. There is hope for him yet." 

"Now, let's go pay a visit to the general, shall we?"

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

//Gods, do they _ever clean this place?// Kaoru thought to herself as she wandered back towards Kenshin's tent. She looked at the campsite around her in disgust. Clothes, leftover food, weapons, broken pots and pitchers, horse feces, and other trash were scattered all over the ground. No wonder there were no other women there. Or at least, no women that weren't _that_ kind of women. //Stop that! Concentrate on more important things. Like where in the hell is Kenshin's tent?!// Taking another sip from the tanned animal-skin water sack she had found, she set off in the direction where she thought the leader's quarters were located. _

Half an hour later, she was sitting on the pile of fine blankets and pillows where she had been laying for the past three days. Today, the fourth day, was the first time she had risen from her prone position on the ground and actually explored the camp. After quite a few stretches and countless attempts, she had finally succeeded in walking without having to grab hold of everything in site. Of course, after all of her exertions, she was practically starving, but at least she was no longer dying of thirst. And in addition, her scouring of the camp had led her to discover where everyone had gone. They were training at the far end of the encampment: sparring, practicing, and sword fighting. She had so badly wanted to join them—it felt like she hadn't held a sword in years—but she knew she shouldn't push herself. After watching them for a while, one man whom she recognized as Souzo had come over see if she needed anything. He had helped her find water and pointed her back in the general direction of Kenshin's tent. But her sense of direction was never very strong. 

Shaking her head at her own clumsiness, she took another gulp of water. //Nothing tastes better than this, not even the finest wines.// she thought to herself. Suddenly, the flap opened without warning and she almost spit out the water in her mouth in surprise. She had not been expecting anyone. Looking up, she was relieved to see Souzo standing in the entrance. "You scared me, Souzo!" she smiled. "What's going on?"

"Sorry, Miss Kamiya, I didn't mean to disturb you," he apologized. "I just need to see how your body's recovering from the poison and give you the last dose of medicine."

"Only on one condition," she retorted.

"Oh?" he replied, raising an eyebrow. "And what's that?"

She smiled. "Call me Kaoru. No need to be formal."

"Alright, Kaoru," he answered, smirking. "Let's see just how much you've recovered."

He sat down next to her on the ground and pulled a small vial from his shirt. She recognized the blue medicine she had been forced to swallow once a day for the past few days. It was vile. Souzo laughed at her grimace as her eyes rested on the vial. "Don't worry, you don't have to take that just yet."

"Good," she responded, shooting daggers at the medicine. Suddenly, his hands were feeling her throat and her jaw. "Wh…what are you doing, Souzo?!" 

He chuckled. "Calm down. I'm just checking your glands, Kaoru. I need to make sure the poison hasn't spread and escaped our notice."

"Oh," was all she could say. //Stupid girl, panicking at the smallest contact. How do you expect Kenshin to love you if…No, no, not thinking about that.// 

And so they sat, talking of the assassination and theorizing about the conspiracy that seemed to be looming about them. He felt Kaoru's throat and jaw, as well as her sides. To anyone who didn't know the circumstances, it would look like the two were playing a game between lovers. 

It was at that moment that Kenshin stepped inside the tent. 

He froze immediately at the sight before him. Karou was sitting with eyes wide and riveted on him, hands down at her sides. And Souzo had his hands on her side, just below her arms, his eyes as shocked as hers. Kenshin saw red as the demon within him called out for his comrade's blood. 

"K…Kenshin!" she stammered. 

"You're back! How'd it go?" Souzo asked as he withdrew his hands from her and stood up. "It seems Kaoru here has recovered nicely. I just gave her the last bit of medicine, and she checked out fine."

Kenshin's mind flared as Souzo spoke of Kaoru so casually. 

"He said I'll be back to my normal strength in three days," she added, a smile on her face. 

//Calm down, idiot. He was just making sure she's all right. It's not like he was attacking her!// he screamed at himself. With great effort, he forced his bloodlust away and quelled the demon once more. But jealousy still remained within him; his friend had gotten to touch her in ways he only dreamed of. Even if it was only a check-up. 

"That's good news, Miss Kaoru," he replied, forcing a grin on his face.

"So, Kenshin, tell us what happened. What did Saitoh have to say?" Souzo questioned impatiently. 

"It's a long story, one I'll gladly share later. You're never going to believe…"

"Himura!" an urgent voice called from outside the tent.

"Come in," the redhead replied patiently. 

"Sir," the young man addressed him, "this just arrived by messenger for you from Sumaktra." He handed Kenshin a sealed letter, and left the tent quickly. 

"From the capital? What could they possibly want with you? And how did they know where you were?" Kaoru wondered aloud, looking at Kenshin with questioning eyes. 

"I haven't the slightest idea," he said, breaking open the seal and unfolding the paper. As his eyes scanned the lines, his hands began to shake in rage, clenching the letter. "How dare he…" he whispered through clenched teeth. He shoved the letter at Kaoru, barely suppressing the urge to kill something, anything.

Fear and anger played across her face as she read the letter aloud. 

_Battousai__-_

_The time has come for you to answer for your crimes, for the blood on your hands. If you want your precious Kaoru Kamiya's honor restored, come to the capital in three days time and face me. If you do not, I'm afraid I will have to kill my brother the emperor and the good doctor Megumi to show my disappointment. And then I will face you as Emperor of Kahaktri. _

_I know what you've done. My sister will have her retribution. _

_-Enishi Yukishiro_

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

tbc…

Finally! This chapter's much longer than my others to make up for the lack of updating. And the plot thickens, eh? I'm sorry if some of this is confusing, but hopefully it will all make sense in the end. Only a few more chapters to go. And did anyone catch my reference to a _Moulin Rouge_ song in there? 

And sorry, but I didn't have time for review responses this chapter. I wanted to get this out as soon as possible. Gomen! Look for them next time. ^_^


	18. The Drums of War

I almost gave up on this story, but I never back away from a challenge. Sorry if it's a bit on the short side.

Thank you for your patience.

**Desert Rose  
**By Lady Calliope

**Chapter 17**: The Drums of War

Kaoru's eyes widened as far as her skin would allow. Thinking that perhaps she was still suffering some after-effects of the poison, she re-red the message again. And again. But try as she might, there was no mistaking it.

Enishi had betrayed them all.

At first she was too stunned to speak, her vocal chords frozen by disbelief. Then she glanced back at one particular part of the letter. "_I'm afraid I will have to kill my brother the emperor and the good doctor Megumi to show my disappointment_."

Her reaction was immediate, and the warrior within her took control.

"Kenshin, we have to stop him. He's got Megumi and Sano trapped in that palace and they don't even know it!"

The redhead continued staring at the floor, face obscured by his bangs.

Kaoru was unperturbed. "We have to get back to Sumaktra as soon as possible. Souzo, get some fresh horses together as well as our weapons. I'll also need a change of clothes. We have to leave as soon as possible."

For his part, Souzo was quite conflicted and confused. What was all this about killing the emperor and why did they need horses? Should he listen to Kaoru's orders? More importantly, what was so interesting on the dirt floor that had captured Kenshin's attention throughout his woman's commanding speech?

It seemed that Kaoru had endured enough of their leader's silence as well. "Kenshin! Are you even listening to me?"

His reaction was not the one that either of the tent's other two occupants had been expecting. Faster than she could blink, Kaoru found herself in a pair of strong arms, cradled against Kenshin's chest as he ran across the camp. Bewildered and blushing more than a little, she barely had time to comprehend her surroundings before she was deposited in the arms of one of the other Hitokiris she had seen around the training area. The other men were clearly as surprised as she was to find their leader dumping his woman into the arms of one of the guards. The situation became clear, though, as Kenshin made to turn his back to her and run back towards the opposite end of camp without so much as a word.

"You don't honestly expect me to stay here while you go running back to the capital do you? They're my friends, too!"

Without turning to face her, he addressed the man whose arms she currently occupied. "See that she does not leave the camp, Seiichi. I will leave instructions with Souzo before I leave. In my absence, you are all to look to him as your leader."

Kaoru was fuming. How dare he not even look at her before running off! "Kenshin Himura, if you think for one minute that all your men combined can keep me here when my friends are in danger then you must have spent too much time in the sun. I'm going with you and there's nothing you can do about…"

Her sentence was cut short as his lips captured her open mouth.

The kiss itself must have only lasted a few seconds, but to Kaoru it felt like years. She didn't have time to close her eyes before he withdrew and allowed her to look at his eyes for the first time since the message arrived. Gone were the eyes of the man she knew, the man who had rescued her and whispered goodnight. These were the eyes of an experienced warrior, a man who did not negotiate with anyone.

These were the amber eyes of Battousai.

"Do not follow me, Kaoru. I do not want you to see."

And he was gone. No one saw him move. All Hitokiri eyes flickered back and forth, uncertainty and fear in their expressions. Only something extremely serious and even more dangerous could rouse this fighting spirit within their captain. The men had only seen him like this on one other occasion: the night Aoshi Shinimori was killed by an assassin.

Kaoru, however, was not as amazed as her fellows. If anything, she was more determined now than ever to get back to Sumaktra. _If you think you can just kiss me and run away to fight a traitor by yourself, you've got no idea who you're dealing with, Kenshin. _

----------

They arrived in the midst of chaos. Men were running to and fro in the light of dawn like snekcihc with their heads cut off. Some were scrambling for their uniforms, others for their weapons, and still more were trying to find out what all the fuss was about. Clouds of dust swirled through the encampment, twisting and dispersing like an odd spirit about the tents. He knew immediately that the Kahaktrian Army had been called into battle.

"We must find Saitoh," Aoshi said, grabbing Misao's arm and setting a pace few could keep up with.

"So soon? And here I thought I might get to enjoy the scenery a little," the gypsy quipped, pulling her arm from his grasp and matching his stride. "What's got all your men so spooked?"

Aoshi's mouth turned down at one corner, the closest thing he got to a grimace. "Let's just say that this one time I don't want to be right."

After aggressively negotiating their way through the bedlam, they arrived at the general's tent. Without invitation, and without ceremony, Aoshi threw back the tent flap and entered. Misao paused momentarily outside, taking a last look at the desperate countenances of the soldiers swarming around her. She followed her lover inside.

"It's about time you got your ass back here, Lieutenant. As you can see, we have a bit of a situation on our hands," Saitoh said in way of greeting.

"I gathered as much," Aoshi replied, gathering himself taller in front of his general.

Saitoh smirked. "Looks like you found the weasel. Still playing around with that smoke and mirrors bit, I see."

Misao bristled at the insult but held her tongue. Even she could see that the commanding officer was on edge about something.

Never one for wasting time on pleasantries, Aoshi ventured his guess rather bluntly. "I take it Nihamra has mobilized, General."

"Astute as always," Saitoh rejoined, unfolding a map on his desk. From the numerous arrows and words covering the paper, Misao knew that the general had already planned his strategy.

Aoshi raised an eyebrow ever so slightly. "This is unexpectedly soon for the enemy to declare open war. What prompted the change?

Saitoh merely spared his best soldier a knowing glance.

"The banquet. Convenient," the stoic man supplied.

"Even more convenient that Battousai happened to be there along with two personal guests of the emperor. And one of them was framed for the assassinations shortly before being poisoned and disappearing," he finished, casting a glance at Misao.

The general continued. "We just received word yesterday evening. The Nihamran Army is on the move and headed straight for Sumaktra. They will arrive tomorrow by the end of the day."

"Unless we're there to welcome them," interjected a voice from behind the lieutenant. The young woman was still dealing with her newfound guilt over the incident with Kaoru as well as cursing an innocent man, but she was determined to make right what had been wrong.

Saitoh eyed Misao. She had changed over these past years, there was no doubting that. There was a hardness in her eyes that replaced the foolish determination that so often used to get her into trouble. She was a warrior. "Don't say such obvious things, Weasel Girl. Of course we're going to meet them. Consider your honeymoon over."

Aoshi's eyes followed the man as he crossed the tent and removed his sword from its wooden rack. "When do we move out, sir?"

"Why do you think those idiots I call soldiers are running around so frantically?" The general's eyes were lit with the anticipation of battle. "We leave yesterday."

----------

He pushed his horse faster than ever before as the sun climbed to its apex in the cloudless sky. Some subconscious part of him felt sorry for the animal; its sides were heaving and foamy, its tongue lopping around outside of the mouth like a dying fish. But only a small part of him was paying attention to the animal beneath his legs. Surprisingly, though, he wasn't thinking much of Sanosuke or Megumi during his frantic race across the dunes either. This isn't to say that he wasn't in a rage about their current hostage situation, but he was going to get to Sumaktra in time. He did not have the capacity to consider any other possible outcomes. No, most of Kenshin's thought processes were not focused on what lay ahead of him.

It was what was behind him for which he feared.

Kaoru was, to put it politely, a stubborn young woman with an admirable, yet sometimes annoying, independent streak. Once she set her mind to something not even a herd of wild horses could deter her from accomplishing what she set out to do. It was one of the things he loved--_No! Not love. I meant admire. Yes, that's it. I admire her. I don't love her. Love has no place in battle_--about her, but at times like this that fierceness was more likely to get her injured or killed than save anyone. That was why the rope had been necessary; hopefully she'd forgive him for that within this lifetime. But if there was the slightest chance that she could be in danger, he knew that he would not be able to fight as Battousai. And if he was just Kenshin, he would not defeat Enishi Yukishiro.

For a moment, his thoughts turned to the youngest child of the Yukishiro family. Enishi had been very fond of his sister Tomoe, but it was a fondness that, at times, seemed to overstep the bounds of a brother-sister relationship. Ever since their mother died, the boy had looked to Tomoe to fill that hole in his life. He not only worshipped her as his older sister, but depended on her as his mother. When she had been killed all those years ago at the young age of twenty-six by an assassin, the news of her death shocked Enishi into silence. He didn't speak a word to anyone for years, spending almost all of his time locked in his palace room. He refused to hear anything relating to her death or life. No one had been able to shake the boy out of his depression. Then suddenly he emerged one day, hair whitened from years of grief, ready to rejoin the family. He was by no means an amiable young man, never had been, but Kenshin had no inkling of just how deep Enishi's scars ran until he read that letter the day before.

_He has become a man willing to spill family blood over unfounded revenge. He will not succeed_, Battousai vowed, spurring his steed ever onward.

Before he left, the leader had told Souzo to send word to General Saitoh regarding the planned coup d'etat and pledging the service of the Hitokiris to the Army as long as a temporary truce was agreed upon. It was highly likely that Enishi had been behind the assassination of the two Nihamran delegates at the banquet, and if that was true, then Yukishiro was looking to start nothing short of a war: he was planning on making himself emperor no matter what the cost.

For a few moments, all that filled the swordsman's mind was the sound of hooves beating relentlessly on the scorching sand and the sight of endless desert in front of him. Today it felt like the ride to Sumaktra was taking much longer than it usually did. But then, most days the emperor's life was not in immediate danger of being prematurely terminated. Kenshin quickly calculated the distance to the capital using landmarks learned from years of traveling the same path. If he continued at his current pace, he could make it to the palace by sundown.

He hoped the appearance of Battousai was enough to keep Kaoru right where she was—where he had left her.

----------

"Like hell he's keeping me here!" she growled as she struggled with her bindings. What kind of man kisses a woman and then has her bound with rope while he rides away to save people? "Coward," she answered herself.

He was afraid of her, of what would or could happen to her if she came with him. But didn't she realize that, like it or not, they were in this together? Regardless of the fact that it was two of her best friends that were in mortal danger, she knew that he just didn't trust her—or himself with her around—in a battle. She knew it was because he cared, perhaps he even loved—no, no she wouldn't get her hopes up—but what was the point of her training tirelessly all these years, developing her father's style of sword fighting, if people could not look past the fact that she was a girl and not let her fight as a consequence? She was sick of being treated like a lady, when all she wanted was to be viewed as an equal.

Gritting her teeth as the ropes continued to rub her wrists raw, she prepared herself for the pain that was to come. She had to get her hands in front of her so she could reach the knife hidden at her thigh, but that infuriating man had tied the knots too tight for her to slip loose of them. Steeling her will and forcing all of her concentration on the task at hand, she started to slid her joined arms up towards her head. She continued reaching, and bit down on her tongue when she finally managed to dislocate both her shoulders as her arms reached the level of her ears. Fighting back the tears, she continued to move her arms forward, rotating them over her head and down towards her stomach. Two sickening pops accompanied the move as her shoulders crunched back into place. Breathing hard, her eyes swam with unshed tears as she focused on pushing the pain from her mind. Finally she was able to get at the knife tied up under her dress and cut herself loose from her bonds.

After checking to make sure she hadn't alerted her "guard" to her movements, she glanced down at herself. _I'm never going to be able to fight in this outfit. There has to be something here…_She almost crowed with joy and thanked whatever god was looking after her when she saw that there were spare clothes in one corner of the tent. As quickly and quietly as she could, she exchanged her ruined gown for the coarse pants and top—two sizes too big. _Well, it's better than fighting in a dress._

With even more care and delicateness, she lifted the back flap of the tent and rolled out and under the canvas. The sand burned her bare feet as she stood—and found herself face to face with Souzo.

"Going somewhere, Kaoru?" he quipped.

She wanted to punch him, she really did. "Out of my way, Souzo. I'm leaving and there's nothing you can do to stop me so why don't you just take your warning and shove it—"

"I thought you might be needing these," he interrupted, half of his mouth raised in a quirk. She looked down to see him offering her a sword with carrying strap and a pair of small sandals. When she lifted her questioning eyes to his, he merely shrugged. "Himura just doesn't want you getting hurt, but he's going to need help. Just don't make me regret this."

She nodded in understanding, slipped on the shoes, fastened the sword and strap around her shoulder so the blade rested against her back, and looked to him once more. "Thank you, Souzo. I'll repay the favor someday."

And with that, she set off for the area where the horses were tethered, praying that whatever god had favored her before would do so again. She needed to get to Sumaktra before sundown, before Enishi won, before her friends were killed.

Before Kenshin was lost completely to the demon in his eyes.

----------

He didn't bother to tether his horse before his feet landed on the ground and swiftly started carrying him in the direction of the throne room. He wasn't too late, he couldn't be too late…

Relief washed over him when he saw Megumi standing in front of the throne, apparently unharmed. He had made it in time, then. The raging amber began slowly waning from his eyes.

"Megumi, listen, we need to get you and Sano out of here. Enishi is planning to kill you both and take the throne…"

He stopped when he noticed a single tear roll down her cheek, but she made no move to leave. "Megumi, what are you…doing…"

Rising from where he was sitting behind her on the throne, Enishi smirked maliciously at the redhead. He moved the knife he was holding from her back to her throat. A quick glace to his left and he saw the prone form of Sanosuke sprawled on the cold floor, a trail of blood running down from an open wound near his temple. Upon further inspection, Kenshin was relieved to see his friend's chest rising and slowly falling. He wasn't dead, just unconscious.

Turning his attention back to the silver haired man in front of him, Kenshin could _feel_ the change in his eyes—they were the darkest, most vibrant shade of amber imaginable. He could taste the bloodlust on his tongue. "Enishi!" he snarled. "I'll kill you!"

"Ah, there you are. For a minute I thought you weren't going to come out and play."

"Let her go, Yukishiro, or I will use your blood to clean my blade," Battousai spat. In response, Enishi dug the blade a little deeper into Megumi's throat, and a thin line of crimson spread across her pale neck.

"You're a monster," she hissed, headless of the knife at her throat. He chuckled. In the next instant, he threw her down to the ground and kicked her viciously in the side. She coughed, the blood running down her skin from the cut in her throat. If possible, Kenshin's eyes swirled even darker.

Enishi laughed, the sound of it echoing throughout the room. "I am so glad you could make it to the reunion, Battousai. I've been waiting for so very long."


	19. Battle Cries

As always, sorry for delay. And I also apologize for the shortness. But hey, at least the updates aren't years apart this time, right?

**Desert Rose  
**By Lady Calliope

**Chapter 18: **Battle Cries

Battousai smirked. "Then let me end the wait."

Steel clashed and sparks flew to the marble floor as the two engaged. No more words were wasted, both warriors too engaged in the battle to notice little else around them. Not even when Shishio emerged from his hiding place did the two take their eyes off each other: hate was a powerful blinder. Still, there was no sense in letting a perfectly good—and helpless—bargaining chip get lost in the fray. There was still a way to work this to his advantage if he bided his time and let the two children kill each other. After all, it would mean less work for him.

With that in mind, Shishio grabbed Megumi from the floor and she, nearly unconscious with pain, could do nothing to stop him. As engaged in the battle as the other two were they wouldn't notice his presence or his absence: until he wanted them to, of course. He would have to stash the girl for now and wait, but that posed no problem for him.

Shishio was nothing if not patient. He'd already waited three years for this.

----------

It was not hard to track the army's trail to their current location. Under Souzo's guidance, the Hitokiris found themselves matching ranks with the Kahaktrian Army in a matter of hours. Saitoh was less than pleased to see them, but returned their pledge of temporary alliance with a grudging nod. Truthfully they could use all the help they could get.

However, it did not take long for the men to notice something was out of place. Either they were all going mad collectively, or there was some gypsy trick at work. Because at that moment, Aoshi Shinimori appeared not only to be alive, but in rather good condition and riding at the front of the formation. Some of the men wasted no time in galloping to the "apparition's" side desperately hoping that, for once, the desert heat wasn't deceiving them. Unfortunately, Aoshi seemed lost in thoughts of the upcoming battle. Misao wasn't quite so preoccupied.

"Aoshi."

No response.

"Aoshi."

"Mm." A grunt.

"Aoshi!"

Yelling always got his attention. "What?"

"They're staring at you."

"Who?"

"Them." She pointed to his left side, where currently about ten men were riding with their mouths wide open and eyes unblinking. Aoshi returned their stares with one of his own. He had not been expecting this.

"Shini…mori?" One of them had decided he'd had enough: he had to know if this was a hallucination.

"Seiichi."

"You remember! But you…you're dead. Why aren't you dead?"

Aoshi was silent. What was the best way to explain to your comrades how you miraculously found yourself alive and breathing after experiencing the complete draining of your life blood? There was no simple way to put it, and there was no time to explain it at the present moment.

"I think, perhaps, that's a story best saved until after we've won this fight."

Seiichi could do nothing but nod. Misao, feeling sorry for the poor man, offered him some water from her satchel. At the moment, though, he felt more like a stiff drink.

Their second-in-command was back from the dead. Perhaps this wasn't such a grim-looking battle after all.

----------

As much as Kaoru loved animals, horses in particular, she couldn't bring herself to care how hard she was pushing her steed at the moment. Kenshin had a good one hour head start and the experience required to get to the palace by shortcuts. All Kaoru had to rely on were her wits and training, but the sun was sinking lower every minute and, with it, her guiding light. She had to reach Sumaktra before the sun touched the western horizon.

Thankfully Kenshin's tracks were still visible in the sand—barely. The winds had not been blowing quite as fiercely as normal that day: perhaps one of the gods really had taken a fancy to her. As soon as this whole mess was over, Kaoru vowed to offer said god prayers and tribute for the rest of her life. If she lived through this ordeal, that is.

----------

Sanosuke had never experienced a more ruthless headache in his young life. Stronger than any hangover, it almost felt as if someone had—

The scrape of metal on metal recalled the afternoon's events to him. _Enishi—bastard! _He had called both Sano and Megumi to meet with him in the throne room, which was odd enough because Sano had never known to his brother to set foot in the place since Tomoe died. As soon as Enishi had smiled at them, though, Sano's gut had wrenched in warning. They needed to get out and fast. But before he could even grab Megumi's hand someone had smashed his temple with the hilt of a sword. The last thing he remembered was a flash of white bandages and Megumi screaming…

_Megumi! _

Frantically he swept his eyes over the room—he stopped short at the sight on the other end. Enishi was smiling the coldest, most twisted smile Sano had ever seen on the face of a human being. And there was something off about Kenshin. As soon as the redhead turned Sano had a full view of his face. The young king felt his blood freeze in his veins.

That wasn't Kenshin. That was Battousai, and he was raging.

Suddenly another movement caught his attention. There was a man standing in the corner opposite Sano watching the battle. A man Sano had never seen before. A man completely covered in white bandages. Another sweep of the room confirmed that Megumi was nowhere to be seen. Sano looked back to the stranger—and noticed spots of red on his hands and chest. _Megumi! _

He moved as fast as he ever had in his life. In an instant he had the man pinned to the wall, one hand squeezing the stranger's throat. The man's eyes widened fractionally, but seemed more amused than afraid. Did he think this was funny?

"Where. Is. She."

In response the bandaged man laughed, a sound that too closely resembled Enishi's cackle for Sano's liking. "And if I don't tell you?"

"I'll crush your spine."

"Interesting offer," he replied. Then suddenly he was gone. "But I've got a better one."

Sano ducked just in time to avoid a sword in his neck. How did he get behind him? The king swung his leg in a backwards kick and connected with nothing but air. The stranger simply stood there, grinning like this was nothing more than a child's game. Sano drew the sword that hung at his side at all times—it wasn't his preferred means of fighting, but if this man could disappear and reappear at will, a close-quarters fight was the last thing Sano wanted to find himself trapped in.

"I see you're beginning to catch on. Maybe this won't be so boring after all."

And with that, the second fight to the death in the throne room had begun.

----------

She didn't even bother to tie the reigns when she arrived at the front entrance to the palace. Moving with a speed she didn't know she possessed, Kaoru soon found herself standing in the grand entrance with adrenaline racing and no idea of where she could find Kenshin. The palace had hundred of rooms and even more hallways, how was she ever going to—

Battle cries and sword clashes decided her direction for her. Without a further thought she took off towards the throne room. Hopefully, she wasn't too late. Hopefully, Megumi and Sanosuke were still alive. Hopefully, Kenshin's soul hadn't been completely obliterated by the demon trapped within him. And though she may be shaken, hope was one thing Kamiya Kaory never gave up on.

She was in such a hurry to navigate the hallways and stairs that stood between her and the others that she nearly crashed into something—something that had quite suddenly appeared in her path. And not just any something, a man: a man who, even if she had crashed into him, she doubted very much it would even move him, let alone knock him down. Then she noticed something even more startling than the man's size.

Megumi was in his arms, and she was bleeding.

"Megumi!" She reached out to her best friend but was stopped short by a voice that sounded strangely familiar, a voice that she just couldn't place.

"She is fine, but she needs to be put somewhere safe. The man who did this to her may come looking for her again."

Kaoru's thoughts broke off and her mind raced. She couldn't think! Her eyes drifted to a curtained alcove. Megumi would kill her for the unseemliness of it, but it was hidden and one of the last places anyone would look before checking the rooms. His eyes followed hers, giving a small nod when he saw where she was looking. Quickly and with a gentleness his large bulk belied, he placed Megumi safely on the ground behind the curtain and drew it closed. Nodding his head at her, he made to leave.

"Wait! Who are you?" she shouted as he started off in the opposite direction.

He paused. For the first time in the fading light the man looked her straight in the face. Kaoru's heart stopped. Of course! With his size and voice…but he was dead…long dead…

"King Hiko!"

"Now is not the time for explanations, Kaoru. That fool son of mine is in over his head and Battousai is free. You must help them."

"Where are you going!"

"To stop a war."

A moment later he was gone. Had she just hallucinated that? Was all this chaos finally affecting her brain? Shaking her head, she decided to push it to the back of her mind. Her friends needed her and she had no time to ponder the state of her mental faculties. With one last look at the alcove where Megumi lay hidden—_please forgive me!_­—Kaoru ran the rest of the way to the throne room.

The sight that greeted her upon throwing open the doors was grim. Sanosuke was bloodied and bruised and facing off against a man covered in bandages, and Kenshin was…

"Kenshin!"

----------


End file.
